Lamb & Lentil Curry

Ingredients

  • 1,5 kg lamb shoulder cubed
  • black pepper and maldon salt to taste
  • 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 x 410g can of chopped tomatoes
  • 1 x 5cm cinnamon stick
  • 1 x 410g can of lentils
  • 1 litre home made beef stock
  • 3 x bay leaves
  • 2 x star anise
  • paste
    • 3 x small onions
    • 6 x garlic cloves
    • 1 x 5cm fresh ginger peeled and roughly chopped
    • 2 x green chilies
    • 4 x cardamon pods
    • 30ml x garam masal
    • 15ml x tumeric
    • 5ml x ground cumin
    • 5ml x ground coriander
    • 60ml x medium rajah curry powder
    • 15ml x mustard seeds
    • (all spices to be roberston)
  • sambals  
    • 2 x small fresh tomatoes
    • 1 x large red onion
    • mrs balls chutney
    • fresh coriander
  • Crusty bread, or 2 x cups of basmati rice.

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180degrees (preferably a thermo fan)
  2. Blitz all the past ingredients in a food processor
  3. Heat oil in a heavy based casserole pot and brown the meat.  Remove the meat and set aside.  
  4. In the same pot fry the past for 1 minute over medium heat.
  5. Return meat to pot and fry for a further 1 minute together with the paste.
  6. Add tomatoes, bay leaves, cinnamon, star anise and the stock.  Cover the pot and allow to simmer for 15 minutes.
  7. Cover with the lid and cook in the oven for 1 hour 30 minutes.  Check after every 30 minutes if you need to add more liquid so it doesn’t dry out.
  8. Add the lentils and cook for a further 30 minutes, check the seasoning.
  9. Cook the basmati rice according to the instructions.