oz/1 cup double (heavy) cream
Put the garlic, onion and chillies in a small food processor and blend until finely chopped. Add 60 ml/4 tbsp of the stock and blend to a purée. Mix in the ground almonds.
Heat the ghee or butter in a pan, add the purée, cardamom pods and cinnamon and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring continuously. Stir in the lamb, then turn off the heat. Tip the contents of the pan into the slow cooker, then stir in the rest of the stock. Blend the cornflour with the yoghurt and stir that in too. Season with salt and white pepper.
Cover with the lid and cook on Low for 4-6 hours, or until the lamb is fairly tender. Stir in the cream and cook for a further 30 minutes.
Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve with Saffron Rice and Tomato and Onion Cachumbar.
TIP
You could also serve it with Turmeric Rice and an onion salad.
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Lamb and Chick Pea Curry
Like other pulses, chick peas are a good source of protein and are a staple food for many vegetarian Indians. Here they are used to 'stretch' the amount of meat used and add a great texture to the curry. Because they are fairly bland, they soak up all the spices to make a richly flavoured dish.
Serves 4
10 ml/2 tsp ground coriander
10 ml/2 tsp ground cumin
5 ml/1 tsp ground ginger
2.5 ml/½ tsp ground cinnamon
2.5 ml/½ tsp chilli flakes
15 ml/1 tbsp fresh or bottled lemon juice
15 ml/1 tbsp water
450 g/1 lb lean boneless lamb, cubed
1 onion, finely chopped, or 45 ml/ 3 tbsp frozen diced onion
1 red (bell) pepper, seeded and cut into 2cm/¾ in chunks
200 g/7 oz/small can chopped tomatoes
250 ml/8 fl oz/1 cup hot (not boiling) lamb or vegetable stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
400 g/14 oz/large can chick peas (garbanzos)
Put the spices into the ceramic cooking pot with the lemon juice and water and mix together. Add the lamb and stir to coat all the pieces in the spicy mixture. Leave for a few minutes, while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
Add the onion, red pepper, tomatoes and stock to the cooking pot. Season with salt and pepper. Stir well, then cover with the lid and switch the slow cooker on to Low. Cook for 2-3 hours on High or 4-6 hours on Low, or until the lamb and onions are very tender.
Tip the chick peas into a sieve (strainer) and allow to drain, then pour half a kettle full of boiling water over them (this will help warm them up, so that the temperature of the lamb curry isn't lowered). Add to the ceramic cooking pot, quickly stir, then put the lid back on and cook for a further 20-30 minutes to heat through.
Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Drizzle a few spoonfuls of yoghurt over the lamb and serve with basmati or Spiced Spinach Rice.
VARIATION
Replace the lamb with a second can of chick peas for a vegetarian version.
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Madras Lamb Curry
One of the most popular restaurant curries, a Madras is named after the city in India now known as Chennai. This dish is fairly hot and fiery and this easy version uses Madras curry paste - a blend of ground coriander, cumin, turmeric, chilli, garlic and small amounts of other spices and seasonings. Serve with chappatis or naan breads and a cooling accompaniment such as a cucumber raita.
Serves 4
30 ml/2 tbsp groundnut (peanut) or sunflower oil
700 g/1½ lb lean diced lamb
1 large onion, chopped, or 60 ml/ 4 tbsp frozen diced onion
45-60 ml/3-4 tbsp Madras curry paste
100 ml/3½ fl oz/scant ½ cup very hot (not boiling) vegetable stock
2.5 ml/½ tsp cornflour (cornstarch)
250 ml/8 fl oz/1 cup Greek-style yoghurt
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat 15 ml/1 tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan. Add the lamb and brown on all sides. Transfer to the ceramic cooking pot with a slotted spoon.
Add the remaining 15 ml/1 tbsp of oil to the pan and gently fry the onion for 6-7 minutes, or until almost soft. Stir in the curry paste and cook for another minute. Turn off the heat and stir in about half of the stock. Pour over the lamb.
In a separate