Lamb with Spinach
A simple recipe for curried lamb with spinach from Madhur Jaffrey, this mildly spiced dish is perfect for a midweek Indian meal for the family.
Introduction
This dish may be served with rice or bread. I think Fried Aubergine Slices and a yoghurt dish would also complement the meat well.
Ingredients
| 8 tbsp | vegetable oil |
| ¼ tsp | black peppercorns |
| 6–7 | cloves |
| 2 | bay leaves |
| 6 | cardamom pods |
| 175g (6oz) | onions, finely chopped |
| 6–8 | garlic cloves, finely chopped |
| 2.5cm (1in) | cube fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped |
| 900g (2lb) | boned lamb from the shoulder, cut into 2.5cm (1in) cubes |
| 2 tsp | ground cumin |
| 1 tsp | ground coriander |
| ¼–½ tsp | cayenne pepper |
| 2 tsp | salt |
| 5 tbsp | natural yoghurt, well beaten |
| 900g (2lb) | fresh spinach, trimmed, washed and finely chopped, or frozen spinach, thawed |
| ¼ tsp | garam masala |
Method
Put the oil in a large pan and set over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, put in the peppercorns, cloves, bay leaves and cardamom pods. Stir for a second. Now put in the onions, garlic and ginger. Stir-fry until the onions develop brown specks.
Add the meat to the pan, along with the cumin, coriander, cayenne and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Stir-fry for a minute. Add 1 tablespoon of the beaten yoghurt and stir-fry for a further minute. Add tablespoons of the yoghurt in the same way until all the yoghurt has been incorporated. The meat should also have a slightly browned look.
Add the spinach and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt to the pan, and stir to mix. Keep stirring and cooking until the spinach wilts completely Cover tightly and simmer on low heat for about 1 hour 10 minutes or until the meat is tender.
Remove the lid and add the garam masala. Increase the heat to medium. Stir and cook for a further 5 minutes or until most (but not all) the water in the spinach disappears and you have a thick, green sauce. Fish out the 2 bay leaves before serving.
This dish could also be made with beef. Use cubed stewing steak and cook it for about 2 hours or until it is tender.
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