Malabari Lamb

I continue in a meaty vein...so here is another meaty missive. Lamb shoulder imbibes most curry spices well. Short of a weekly trip to the halal butcher and paying big bucks, this is my local choice. I hack away at a shoulder slab with round bones. The latter will be up for grabs when the curry is table side. 

This adapted recipe comes from a small book on the food of the Malabar Muslims. The beauty of the recipe is the ease with which you can put it together. The holy Indian quartet of onions, ginger, garlic and tomatoes is the perfect base for gravy. Meat is gently cooked in a pressure cooker. I do like this time-saving method. You could very easily do a long braise stove top. A sprinkle of garam masala, lime and sugar and dinner is served.

MALABAR LAMB

Serves 3-4

1 1/2 pounds Lamb shoulder, cut into small chunks or Lamb stew 

2-3 Green Chiles

1 cup Cilantro 

1 teaspoon Fennel seeds

2 tablespoons Coriander seeds

1 tablespoon Ginger paste

1 teaspoon Garlic paste

3 tablespoons Canola oil

2 big Onions

1/2 teaspoon Chile powder

1/2 teaspoon Turmeric

1 large Tomato

1/4 cup Cilantro

1 teaspoon Kosher Salt

1-2 teaspoon Garam Masala

1 teaspoon Sugar

Juice of 1/2 a Lime

Wash and dry lamb.

Whiz green chiles and 1 cup of cilantro in a blender with a little water to a smooth paste.

Grind fennel and coriander seeds in a coffee grinder into a fine powder.

Peel and thinly slice onions. 

Chop tomato into small chunks.

Heat canola oil in pressure cooker.

Add sliced onions and fry till golden brown.

Add green chile paste, chile powder, turmeric, ginger and garlic paste and sauté well for a few minutes.

Add lamb and fry in masala for 5 minutes till browned.

Put tomato, cilantro and salt into masala and fry for a few minutes.

Add enough water to barely cover lamb, close the lid and pressure cook for 15 minutes. Or cook the lamb stove top covered. Check meat and water from time to time so it doesn't burn.

Let meat cool, remove lid and place cooker back on flame to let gravy thicken.

Sprinkle ground fennel and coriander, garam masala, sugar and lime juice over meat and thicken gravy for 10-15 minutes. 

Serve lamb with roti or rice.

Methinks this is a popular curry. We fight over marrow bones. The meat is tender, the gravy is thick. It's goes perfectly well with hot phulkas. I blink and it's gone! 

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