Curry but not in a hurry

So it's no secret that I'm not a fan of winter (and 'not a fan' is severely understating it), it's cold and I don't like cold because I'm built for comfort and swimming and not getting cold. It's brown outside because mister frost is a meaniehead that turns pretty green to dull brown and on some days I have to wear closed shoes and because flip flops are me footwear of choice my toes are known to get into a huff on very cold days and they complain by hurting and turning blue (apparently blue toes aren't a good thing.. who knew)

Today is one of those days, it's extremely cold, one of the coldest days we've experienced a while! It's cloudy and dreary and unpleasant and also dampens my usual sunny, summery disposition.. So to cheer me up my grey beard built a fire in the fireplace and to cheer myself up I made a curry! Not just a curry, a real Durban style mutton curry that's generously spiced with the usual curry suspects and also includes star anise, whole cinnamon, curry leaves and bayleaf. It has a deep reddish colour and tastes as rich and fragrant as it looks.

Besides using a mutton masala blend that I buy from the spice shop, I also add some additional spices that I toast before adding to the curry, it personalises the dish and by adding freshly toasted spices you add a special depth to the dish.

Now I know we don't always have all the spices readily available in our grocery cupboard and it's a lot of ingredients to go and buy at once, but, if you have a spice shop in your area or you get to one every now and then buy small quantities of the basic spices like cumin, coriander and fennel seeds, cardamom pods and pepper corns. Sealed in glass jars they will keep for a very long time and will come to life if you toast them in a pan like I did here their oils are released and they get a new lease on life!

just a hint; You get cardamom in white, green and black pods. I usually keep the white ones because they have the best all round cardamom taste.

My take on Durban style Mutton curry, and check out my notes at the bottom of the post where I give some hints and tell you how to make a easy pilaf and sambal to serve it with:

Toast and grind the spices

Fry the onion and stuff

Add the Meat, tomatoes, potatoes and water

Cook and serve... the potatoes deserve a special mention...

they were absolutely fan-freaking-tastic

Here's the recipe

Ingredients

1.2kg lamb on the bone with some fat is best

100 ml vegetable oil

2 onions chopped in 2cm pieces

3 x 3cm piece cinnamon stick

2 star anise

3 elachie/cardamom pods

4 bay leaf

2 sprigs fresh curry leaf

3 tspn ginger - grated

3 tsp garlic - grated

4 tbsp masala (I used mutton masala)

1 tbsp tumeric

2 tbsp chilli powder

1 tspn fennel seeds

2 tspn cumin seeds

3 tspn coriander seeds

1 tspn fenugreek seeds

4 tomatoes roughly chopped

6 potatoes peeled and halved (see notes)

salt to taste

few coriander leaves for garnishing (optional)

Cold water

Instructions

Add the cinnamon quill, star anise, cumin, coriander fennel and fenugreek seeds to a cold dry pan. Turn the heat on and toast the spices gently until they start to smell fragrant and the seeds start to pop. Remove from the heat, remove the star anise and cinnamon and keep to one side, spoon the seeds into a mortar, pound the warm seeds and leave fairly rough (not a fine powder)

Heat oil, add the onion to the heated oil and fry while stirring until starting to soften, add cinnamon stick, star anise, ground spice and curry leaves and bay leaf.

Fry for a few seconds until it is fragrant.

Add the ginger & garlic . Saute for a minute.

Add masala, turmeric and chilli powder and fry for a further minute. It will form a nice thick paste.

Add the lamb and mix well.

Keep the pot open and cook on medium heat for 3 minutes. This is where the spices really get into the meat so do not skip this step, add a bit of water if necessary to avoid the spices burning.

Add tomatoes & potatoes stir to mix.

Add enough cold water to barely cover the meat and potatoes.

Bring to a gentle simmer and cook gently until the potatoes and meat are soft and the sauce thickened.

Notes:

I used Nicola potatoes, they are small enough to keep whole also waxy and sturdy enough to withstand long cooking times. Don't use floury potatoes, they will disintegrate and you will be left with an grainy and odd textured sauce.

I cook the curry in the oven for about 2.5 - 3 hours, it cooks long and slow ensuring a deep rich flavour, it also minimises the chance of burning.

To make an easy and tasty rice pilaf to serve with the curry fry half an onion, add ½ teaspoon each of cumin and coriander seeds, ½ teaspoon each grated garlic & ginger, a few fresh curry leaves and some dried red chilli. Gently fry the spices with the onion until fragrant and the onion is soft, add to rice that is ¾ cooked and stir to mix. Cover the rice and steam with the spices and onion until the rice is cooked.

I always make a little sambal to eat with curry and always this easy one; Finely chop a small onion, and two tomatoes along with a fresh green chili and fresh coriander. Season with a pinch of sugar, salt and white pepper. Stir to mix and leave to stand in the fridge for at least half and hour.