Madhur Jaffrey Lamb Shank Curry Food

LAMB, PORK OR BEEF MADRAS

Steps:

• Put the coriander seeds, peppercorns, fennel seeds, fenugreek seeds, cloves and chillies into a small, cast-iron frying pan and set it over medium heat. Stir the spices over the heat until they are a shade darker and give off a roasted aroma. Transfer to a bowl and leave to cool, then grind in a clean spice grinder or coffee grinder. Pour the oil into a wide, non-stick pan, and set it over medium-high heat.When the oil is hot, add the onions and cook, stirring, until they turn brown at the edges. Add the ginger, garlic and green chillies and stir-fry for 20 seconds. Add the meat and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, ground roasted spices, salt and coconut milk and bring to the boil. Cover the pan, turn the heat to low and simmer gently for 1 hour or until the meat is tender. Uncover the pan and boil away a lot of the liquid, until a thick sauce clings to the meat. Garnish with finely chopped coriander to serve. If you want to use pork, buy shoulder meat and cook it exactly like lamb. If you prefer beef, use good-quality stewing beef, add a little extra water and then cook it for 1½ hours or until tender.

KASHMIRI-STYLE RICH LAMB CURRY

Steps:

• Pour the oil into a large pan, about 25 centimetres (10 inches) in diameter, and set it over a medium-high heat. Tip in the onions. Stir and fry for 15 minutes, until brown. Add the garlic and fry for one minute more. Splash in a tablespoon of hot water and stir it in. Let it disappear. Stir in the cassia leaves, cardamom pods, cassia bark and cumin seeds. Add the ginger and stir and fry for 30 seconds, then tip in the tomatoes. Mix in 3 tablespoons of hot water, cover and cook for four minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle in the chilli and combine, then add the basaar mix and salt, with a tablespoon of hot water. Stir and fry for five minutes. As you do so, the oil will begin to separate from the paste. Now add half the coriander and mix well for one minute. Drop the meat into the pan and brown well all over for 10 minutes. Pour in 750ml (1½ pints) of hot water, cover and simmer over a low heat for one hour, stirring occasionally. Add the garam masala, mix well, replace the lid and keep cooking gently for 10 minutes. Fold in the remaining coriander before serving.

LAMB SHANK MADRAS

Steps:

• Tip the yogurt, cumin, turmeric, 1 tsp sea salt and the lamb shanks into a large mixing bowl, then mix to coat the lamb. Cover and pop in the fridge for a couple of hrs, or overnight if you have time.
• Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 4. Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole dish over a medium heat, add the shanks and brown all over for 10 mins, then remove from the dish. Scatter the onions into the dish and fry for 10 mins until golden brown. Stir in the curry powder, garlic and ginger and cook for 3 mins until aromatic. Add the lamb shanks back to the dish along with the tomatoes, chillies, curry leaves, cardamom pods and lime pickle. Give everything a good stir and pour over the stock. Bring up to a simmer, cover, then transfer to the oven and cook for 3 hrs.
• Remove the lid and cook for 1 hr more - this will help reduce some of the liquid and char any exposed meat. When the lamb is very tender, leave to rest for 30 mins or leave to cool completely and reheat the next day for the best flavour. Can be made up to two days in advance. Scatter with chopped mint and serve with naan bread and rice on the side.