I love this lamb curry. The taste is complex, layered and very satisfying. I like the subtle combination of anise with the sweetness of the cardamon and kewra water and the background smokiness. The recipe comes from Raghavan Iyer's book ("660 curries").
If nothing else just read the list of ingredients, it just makes your head spin and your mouth water.
Honestly I am writing it here so that I can find it easily. Here is my version of it (I do take liberties with recipes, mostly because everything I cook has to become a one pot recipe. I don't want to wash several pots and this is the main reason why I modify recipes).
INGREDIENTS:
2 tbsp of plain yogurt
2 tbsp of grated ginger
1 tbsp of crushed garlic
1 1/4 lb of lamb cubed
2 tbsp of ghee
1 tsp black cumin (do not substitute for regular cumin if you can avoid it, what ever you do, do not use Nigella seeds sometimes called "black cumin", in this recipe "black cumin" is Kala Jeera, or Shahi Jeera)
2 black cardamon pods
2 bay leaves
2 cinnamon sticks
1 medium-size red onion sliced
1 tbsp of ground coriander
4 dried hot chilies
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp ground cardamon
4 blades of mace
1 whole star anise
1 tsp of kewra water (can be replaced by rose water)
QUICK INSTRUCTIONS
1. let lamb sit in mixture of yogurt+garlic+ginger (possibly overnight)
2. let first lot of spices sizzle in ghee before adding onions. Let onion go light brown
3. add lamb with yogurt etc. Cook until it releases moisture and then until it dries and oil separate
4. add the coriander and chiles and roast then add water (a cup or so) and let simmer
5. while the lamb is cooking near the end add the rest of the spices but not the kewra water. Add kewra water at the last minute if using.
ADDED LATER:
In response to the posted comment and other verbal comment from friends I am adding details on "how to":
MORE DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS
First notice that the list of ingredients is divided into four small lists., each list of ingredient is involved in a different step, and the lists come in the same order than the steps they are involved in.
1. Mix the grated fresh ginger, the crushed garlic and the yogurt together in a mixing bowl large enough to hold the lamb. Add the cubed lamb and mixed well so the lamb is coated with the yogurt mixture. Let all this sit for at least an hour but as long as overnight if you wish. (all this involves the ingredients from the 1st list)
2. In a saucepan large enough to hold the final dish - large enough to hold all the lamb- melt the ghee over medium heat, add the black cumin, the black cardamon, bay leaves and cinnamon (everything from the 2nd list). Let the spices sizzle for a couple of minutes then add the sliced red onion. Keep on medium to low heat and fry the onion until it is light brown.
3. Add the lamb with its mixture of yogurt, ginger and garlic to the saucepan containing the fried onions and spices. Empty the bowl entirely into the saucepan. Put on medium to medium high heat and stir so that all sides of the lamb cubes are brown.
Next is the time consuming step, it should take about 20 minutes. At first the lamb will release moisture and not much stirring is required. Eventually the fluids will evaporate and the curry will not be "watery" anymore, start stirring regularly but keep cooking until the juices have the thickness of a sauce and will have a thin shinny film on top as the ghee separates.
4. Add the coriander and chilies (from the 3rd list) and continue cooking for a couple of minutes. Then add water, just enough so the lamb is like icebergs, mostly underneath the water but not totally submerge. Stir everything together and set on low heat and let simmer for at last 15 minutes, more is better. The two key factors deciding the length of the simmering step are: the meat has to cook long enough to become tender, the sauce has to have a pleasantly thick consistency. Don't let the sauce get thicker than what you want to eat, add water as needed. If you are ready too early for dinner or just rewarming the curry just add a little water and keep simmering.
5. Ten minutes before you are ready to eat add the rest of the spices (nutmeg, cloves, cardamon, mace, star anise - from the 4th list)
6. Add the kewra water at the last minute is using, stir and enjoy.
Well I hope this helps. As mentioned earlier I really only post recipes on my blogs so I can find them again when I travel so there were originally only meant as reminders to myself but somehow this recipe is turning out to be popular. Mind you the result is worth it.
