Lamb With Whole Spices Kharu Gos Food

LAMB WITH WHOLE SPICES AND ONIONS: KHARU GOS

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan until a haze forms on top. Add the cinnamon, cardamom, garlic, and red chiles. As soon as the spices swell and change color, add the onions and saute until well browned. Add the lamb and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides. When the liquid in the pan has almost dried up, add the ground spices and the ginger/garlic paste and stir well. Then add some salt and enough water (or stock) to just about cover the lamb. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and summer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring from time to time and making sure the sides of the pan are kept clean.
• Add the potatoes and mix them in well, then add the tomato, if using. Cover again and simmer until the lamb and potatoes are tender. Check the seasoning and sprinkle with some chopped fresh cilantro. Stir some in as well, if you like, for an extra kick.
• Ginger/garlic paste forms the basis of most of India's cooking. In many recipes in this book I have listed finely chopped garlic and ginger separately to make life easier. However, in some recipes, only a paste will do. Most supermarkets now sell separate jars of ginger paste and garlic paste. All you need to do is blend them together.
• To make your own, take equal quantities of peeled garlic and fresh ginger and work them to a paste with a mortar and pestle. Alternatively, puree them in a blender with a little water and some bland vegetable oil (not olive oil), stopping regularly to scrape down the sides. The paste will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 months if you mix in a little oil to prevent spoiling.

LAMB IN INDIAN SPICES AND YOGHURT

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a wok over medium heat, add the onion and cook, stirring for 5 minutes or until it has softened.
• Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 2 minutes more.
• Stir in the yoghurt and all the spices.
• Add the canned tomatoes, a teaspoon of salt, then cook for 5 minutes more.
• Add the lamb and stir until it is coated.
• Cover and cook on a low heat for 1 1/2-1 3/4 hours or until the lamb is tender, stirring occasionally.
• Add a little water if the lamb begins to stick.
• Meanwhile, toast the almonds in a dry frying pan, shaking gently until golden-about 3-4 minutes.
• When the lamb is tender, add the garam masala to the curry and mix through.
• Sprinkle with the slivered almonds and chopped cilantro, then serve.

LAMB OR BEEF WITH WHOLE SPICES AND ONIONS

Steps:

• Cut meat into 1-1.5 inch cubes and pat dry. Slice onions into thin slices. Peel and grate ginger.
• Heat oil in large pot. Saute onions, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes. Remove onions and set aside.
• Add the cardomoms, bay leaves, cumin, red peppers, peppercorns, and ginger to the pot. Stir for 1 minute until bay leaves darken and ginger is sizzling.
• Add the meat and 1 t salt. Cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes until the liquid comes to a full boil. Cover, lower heat, and simmer for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until the meat is tender.
• Add onions and cook, uncovered, over medium heat for another 3-5 minutes.

CUMIN-CHILE LAMB KEBABS WITH GARLIC YOGURT

Steps:

• Make the garlic yogurt:
• Stir garlic, lemon zest, and lemon juice into yogurt in a small bowl to combine; season with salt and pepper.
• Make the lamb kebabs:
• Coarsely grind cumin seeds, peppercorns, caraway seeds, red pepper flakes, and sugar in spice mill or with mortar and pestle until only a few whole spices remain.
• Prepare a grill for medium-high, indirect heat (for a charcoal grill, bank coals on one side of grill; for a gas grill, leave one or two burners off). Oil grates. Thread lamb onto 6-8 skewers, leaving a small gap between each piece of meat. Season with salt, then sprinkle generously with spice blend, pressing it onto the meat with your hands to help it adhere if needed.
• Grill lamb over direct heat, turning every minute or so, until browned and beginning to char in spots, about 4 minutes. Move to cooler side of grill and continue to grill until lamb is cooked to desired doneness, about 4 minutes longer for medium-rare.
• Top garlic yogurt with cracked black pepper and a little lemon zest. Serve alongside lamb.
• Do Ahead
• Yogurt can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill. Spice blend can be made 1 month ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.