Punjabi Masala Lamb Stew

This style of cooking favours dishes that use tomatoes, and in this recipe they form an integral part of the sauce.

 

 

Serves: 4

 

Ingredients:

 

600 g lamb, trimmed of all fat and cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes

3 cm ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

4 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped

1 red chilli, deseeded and roughly chopped

3 tbsp vegetable oil

2 onions, peeled and finely chopped

2 tsp garam masala

1 tsp ground cumin

1½ tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp mild chilli powder

800 g chopped plum tomatoes

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp salt

450 ml natural yoghurt

coriander leaves to garnish

 

Method:

 

1. Trim off any excess fat off the lamb.

 

2. Put the ginger, garlic, chilli and a tablespoon or two of water into a food processor or blender and blitz to wet paste.

 

3. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wide, heavy-based pan, and when you can feel a strong heat rising add the lamb cubes and fry for about 1-2 minutes on each side, until lightly browned all over. Remove the lamb from the pan and set aside.

 

4. Add the remaining oil to the pan and add the onions, garam masala, cumin, cayenne pepper and chilli powder. Stir well and sauté gently for 3-4 minutes or until the onions have softened slightly and the spices are fragrant.

 

5. Add the ginger and garlic paste and cook for another couple of minutes.

 

6. Increase the heat and add the browned lamb, tomatoes, lemon juice and salt. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and partially cover the pan.

 

7. Simmer, stirring occasionally for 50 minutes - 1½ hour or until the meat is tender and the sauce thick.

 

8. Over a low heat, gradually stir in the yoghurt and simmer for a few minutes.

 

Serve immediately with warm breads or plain basmati rice. Garnish with coriandr leaves.

 



Chicken badami

 

Badami means almond, and this dish is typical of Moghlai cuisine, which favours using raw nuts to make a thick and creamy gravy. Serve this dish with basmati rice and plenty of naan bread, as you want to mop up every last bit of the flavourful almond sauce.

 

 

 

Serves: 4

 

Ingredients:

 

500 g boneless and skinless chicken (thighs or breasts), cut into 2 cm pieces.

4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

2 cm ginger, peeled and finely grated

1 tbsp lemon juice

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

25 g silvered almonds

2 tbsp ghee or melted unsalted butter

2 onions, peeled and finely chopped

1 cinnamon stick

4 cardamom pods, lightly crushed

3-4 cloves

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground turmeric

50 g finely ground almonds

300 ml natural yoghurt

 

Method:

 

1. Put the chicken pieces into a large bowl with the garlic, ginger, lemon juice and some seasoning. Mix well, cover the bowl with cling film and leave to marinate in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.

 

2. Place a large frying pan over a medium heat, add the silvered almonds and dry-toast them until they are light golden brown, remembering to toss them every once in a while to avoid burning the nuts. Tip on to a plate and leave to cool.

 

3. Return the pan to the heat and add the ghee or butter and the onions. Cook over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 6-8 minutes or until golden brown. Add the cinnamon, cardamom and cloves and fry for 2-3 minutes before adding the cumin, coriander, turmeric and ground almonds. Add the chicken to the pan and stir well to coat the meat in the spices. Turn the heat up slightly and stir frequently until the chicken turns opaque.

 

4. Reduce the heat to low and gradually stir in the yoghurt. Bring to a slow simmer, cover the pan and cook for another 20-30 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the chicken is tender.

 

5. When ready to serve, ladle the chicken into a serving bowl and sprinkle over the toasted almonds to garnish.

 

 



 

Stir-fried chicken with cashew nuts

 

NUTS ARE OFTEN ADDED TO THAI STIR-FRIES, just as they are to similar Chinese dishes. The important thing to remember when stir-frying is to have all the ingredients prepared and the vegetables chopped before you fire up the wok. Once you start cooking, it literally takes minutes to get the dish to the table.

 

 

Serves: 4

 

Ingredients:

 

2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 500 g in total.

sea salt and blackpepper

2 tbsp vegetable oil or groundnut oil

100 g cashew nuts

1 small onion, peeled and sliced

1 pound asparagus, trimmed and sliced into small pieces

3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

3 spring onions, trimmed and cut on the diagonal into 3 cm pieces

1 ½ tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp dark soy sauce

pinch of caster sugar

1 red chilli, deseeded and sliced on the diagonal

 

Method:

 

1. Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and mix with a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside.

 

2. Heat the oil in a wok or a wide frying pan. Add the cashew nuts and stir over a medium heat until toasted and lightly golden. Remove from the wok with a slotted spoon and set aside.

 

3. Add the onion and garlic to the wok and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes. Tip in the sliced chilli, then add the chicken pieces. Stir-fry for 2 minutes until the chicken is opaque. Add the asparagus, spring onions, fish sauce, soy sauce and a pinch of sugar and stir-fry for another minute. Finally, tip in the toasted cashew nuts. Stir well and turn off the heat.

 

4. Spoon the mixture onto a warm platter or divide between warm bowls and serve immediately, with freshly steamed basmati lemon rice.

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

Lamb, cumin and mint samosa filling

Filling:

 

1-2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

2,5 cm ginger, peeled and finely grated

1 tsp mild curry powder

¼ tsp hot chilli powder

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp ground cumin

500 g minced lamb, or small lamb strips

sea salt and ground pepper to taste

100 g peas, thawed if frozen

1 tsp dried mango powder or 1tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 mild green chilli, deseeded and finely diced

handful of mint leaves, chopped

 

Method:

 

1. To prepare the filling, heat the oil in a karahi or a wide pan over a medium-to-high heat.

 

2. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, curry and chilli powders and ground spices.

 

3. Fry for a few minutes until the onion begins to soften and the spices are fragrant.

 

4. Add the lamb (minced or strips) and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Stir-fry for 4-5 minutes until the mince or the cubes are golden brown and cooked through.

 

5. Add the peas and dried mango powder or lemon juice and cook for a further minute before stirring in the chopped chilli and mint.

 

6. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then transfer to a wide bowl and leave to cool.