LAMB AND CABBAGE CURRY

Many years ago I was fortunate enough to be invited to Hindu cooking classes by my brother in-law.  I have enjoy so many delicious dishes since then.  Thank you Romola Parbhoo and Gez.

The tasty lamb flavour in this dish is readily absorbed by the cabbage and potatoes.  The three combine to make a mouth-watering tarkhari, best served with long grain rice and a beetroot salad.  This really is delicious.

Serves 6 – 8

1kg lamb cut into pieces
7ml or 1 ½tsp red masala
7ml or 1 ½ tsp turmeric
5ml or 1 tsp fresh garlic, pounded
7ml or 1 1/2tsp fresh ginger, pounded.  I freeze my ginger and grated as needed, skin and all
15ml or 1 tbsp cooking oil

If you do not want to make the red masala mix, then use your discretion equating to the red masala.

Vagaar
45ml or 3 tbsp cooking oil
3 cinnamon sticks, 50mm each
6 cloves
4 cardamom pods – optional

2 onions, chopped
750ml or 3 cups warm water – more maybe needed
6 potatoes, halved
1 small cabbage (400g) shredded
2 tomatoes, grated
7ml or 1 ½ gharum masala
30ml or 2 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped

Add masala, turmeric, salt, garlic, ginger and 1 tbsp oil to the lamb, mix well.  

Vagaar – means is to capture the aroma of selected seeds through a tempering that is highly important in Indian cooking.  DO NOT leave this step out.  A well prepared dish should have not only the right flavour of spices, masalas and herbs, but the warmth and aroma of species such as cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and cumin.  This is only possible if a good vagaar is made.

Vagaar
Heat oil in large saucepan.  Add vagaar spices, quickly close with lid and brown for 10 seconds.

Add onions and allow to turn golden brown.  Add meat, braise for 10 minutes on high heat.  Add water, cover and simmer for 45 minutes on medium heat.

Add potatoes and cabbage and cover.  Cook until potatoes are soft.  Add tomatoes and cook another 10 minutes

Sprinkle with gharum masala and garnish with coriander leaves.

Red Masala

100g red dried chillies
50g fresh root ginger
30g garlic cloves
30ml or 6 tsp salt
45ml or 3 tbsp cooking oil
2ml or 1/2tsp turmeric
45ml or 3 tbsp. water
20ml or 4 tsp cooking oil – extra to cover

Peel garlic and scrape the skin off the ginger.  Pound to a paste in a blender, add chillies.  Add a little oil and the water for easy mixing.  Process to a fine paste.  Remove and mix with salt and turmeric.

Store in a glass jar covering the masala with oil.  Keeps months in the fridge.