Indian Curry Recipes by Catherine Atkinson Read Free Book Online

vegetable stock
350 g/12 oz/1½ cups basmati rice

Make the marinade in a large bowl by mixing the cornflour, garlic, cumin, ground coriander, cayenne pepper, garam masala and about 30 ml/2 tbsp of the yoghurt together. Stir in the rest of the yoghurt. Add the lamb, stir to coat, then cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for 2-3 hours or overnight if you prefer.
Heat half the ghee or butter and 5 ml/1 tsp of the oil in a large frying pan. Add the onion and fry for 7-8 minutes or until almost soft. Transfer to the ceramic cooking pot with a slotted spoon.
Remove the lamb from the marinade. Add the rest of the ghee and oil to the pan, then fry the lamb in batches until it's evenly browned, transferring each batch to the ceramic cooking pot. Tip the potatoes in on top of the lamb, season with a little salt and pepper and stir everything together.
Add a little of the stock to the frying pan and swirl to dissolve any sediment. Tip into the ceramic pot. Blend the remaining marinade with the rest of the stock and add to the pot as well. Stir again.
Cover with the lid and cook on High for 3 hours or on Low for 6 hours. Towards the end of cooking time, cook the rice according to the packet directions. Drain well and fork through the cooked meat and sauce. Serve with popadoms, salad and raita.
    TIP
    With this type of dish, cooking the rice separately, then stirring it into the finished dish, ensures the grains stay fluffy.

    ----
    Spicy Lamb with Sweet Potatoes
    Sweet potatoes are grown in many parts of India and their flavour goes beautifully with lamb. They will be very soft and almost falling apart at the end of cooking time, which will help to thicken the sauce.
    Serves 4
    30 ml/2 tbsp groundnut (peanut) or sunflower oil
2 onions, sliced, or 90 ml/6 tbsp frozen diced onion
700 g/1½ lb lean boneless lamb, cut into chunks
2 garlic cloves, crushed, or 10 ml/2 tsp garlic purée (paste)
15 ml/1 tbsp grated fresh or bottled ginger
15 ml/1 tbsp ground coriander
5 ml/1 tsp cumin seeds
2.5 ml/½ tsp ground turmeric
2.5 ml/½ tsp cayenne pepper
4 whole cloves
450 g/1 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
400 g/14 oz/large can chopped tomatoes
300 ml/½ pint/1¼ cups boiling lamb or vegetable stock or water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
150 ml/¼ pint/2/3 cup plain yoghurt

Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the onions for 5 minutes. Add the lamb, garlic, ginger, coriander, cumin seeds, turmeric, cayenne pepper and cloves and cook for 5 minutes, stirring all the time until the lamb is browned all over. Tip the mixture into the ceramic cooking pot.
Add the sweet potatoes, tomatoes and stock or water to the pot. Season with salt and pepper, then stir well to mix everything together.
Cover with the lid and cook on High for 3 hours or on Low for 6 hours, or until the lamb is very tender. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Spoon on to warmed plates and drizzle over the yoghurt. Serve with parathas or popadoms.
    TIP
    Choose a 'sharp' plain yoghurt rather than a mild or creamy variety to help offset the sweetness of this curry.

    ----
    Spiced Lamb in Almond Sauce
    This rich and creamy dish - badami elachi gosht - is an elegant pale colour and was created for the Moghul royalty. It has a fragrant blend of cardamom and cinnamon and a surprising fierce kick from the addition of green chillies. Serve with Saffron Rice and a colourful accompaniment such as Tomato and Onion Cachumbar.
    Serves 4
    2 garlic cloves or 10 ml/2 tsp garlic purée (paste)
1 large onion, roughly chopped, or 60 ml/4 tbsp frozen diced onion
4 green chillies, seeded and roughly chopped
250 ml/8 fl oz/1 cup light lamb or vegetable stock
75 ml/5 tbsp ground almonds
30 ml/2 tbsp ghee or unsalted (sweet) butter
8 green cardamom pods, split
2.5 ml/½ tsp ground cinnamon
700 g/1½ lb lean lamb, cut into chunks
2.5 ml/½ tsp cornflour (cornstarch)
75 ml/5 tbsp thick plain or Greek-style yoghurt
Salt and white pepper
250 ml/8 fl