Cafe-style Meat Curry
Thattukada Erachi Kari
Wherever you travel in India, there is always a road-side café serving a basic, simple curry, and this is my version. In North India, we would call this a dhaba curry. It’s hot and it’s spicy. There are no tomatoes, no coconut and no tamarind – just spices, onion paste, lamb meat and the lamb juices. Serve this with rice or bread.
Ingredients:
600g boneless lamb rump or neck fillet
4cm piece of fresh ginger
1 long thin green chilli
1 tablespoon coconut oil
2 tablespoons Onion Paste (page 218)
12 fresh or dried curry leaves
250ml water
sea salt
fresh coriander sprigs, to garnish
For the spice powder
4cm piece of cinnamon stick
2 green cardamom pods
2 cloves
1 star anise
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1–2 teaspoons red chilli powder, or to taste
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
Directions:
Assemble all the ingredients and equipment before you begin. You need a spice grinder, a large bowl and a large non-stick sauté or frying pan with a lid.
First make the spice powder. Put the cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, cloves, star anise, ground coriander, chilli powder, fennel seeds, black pepper and turmeric into the spice grinder, and grind until a fine powder forms. Tip the powder into the bowl.
Cut the lamb into bite-sized pieces, discarding any fat. Add the lamb to the spice powder, season with salt and mix together so the lamb pieces are well coated. Set aside.
Peel and finely chop the ginger. Remove the stalk from the green chilli, if necessary, then finely chop the chilli.
Melt the coconut oil over a medium-high heat in the pan. Add the onion paste and stir it into the oil for 30 seconds. Turn the heat to high and stir in the spice-coated lamb with the ginger, green chilli and curry leaves, and stir everything together for 30 seconds to cook the spice powder and brown the lamb. Watch very closely so the spices don’t burn.
Stir in the water and bring to the boil. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low and leave to simmer for 10–12 minutes until the lamb is tender.
Meanwhile, rinse the coriander sprigs for the garnish.
Adjust the seasoning with salt, if necessary, and garnish with coriander sprigs just before serving.
Remember to take a look at our Parson's Nose meat to get the best quality meat possible for this delicious dish!
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