Hari Ghotra’s Lamb Madras Recipe

Hari says, “A lovely Lamb Madras will come out hot and fragrant again and again, plus it’s really simple to adapt to the slow cooker.”

Ingredients

400-600g leg of lamb, trimmed and chopped

For The Madras Powder:
2 tbsp coriander seeds
2 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp white poppy seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
½ tsp fennel seeds
1 cassia bark stick (about 7cm long)
5 whole cloves
2 tbsp turmeric
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp salt (or to taste)

For The Masala Sauce:
3 tsp vegetable oil
1 tsp black mustard seeds
10-12 fresh curry leaves
1 onion, finely diced
1 green chilli, finely chopped (2 for more heat)
2 cm ginger, grated
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
400g / 1 tin plum tomatoes
2 tsp tamarind pulp
1 tsp hot chilli powder
Handful fresh coriander

Method

1. To prepare your madras powder, combine black peppercorns, cassia, cloves, coriander, fenugreek, mustard, poppy, cumin and fennel seeds, and grind to a fine powder with an electric grinder, blender or pestle and mortar. Then stir in the turmeric and chilli powder.

2. Place the lamb in a large bowl and rub with 2-3 tablespoons of madras curry powder and the salt until all the meat is coated. Transfer the remaining powder into a well-sealed jar for another time.

3. For the masala sauce, heat the oil in a large cast iron pan until hot. Add the mustard seeds – once they start to pop, stir in the curry leaves and then the onions, softening the onions until they turn brown (about 10 minutes). Then add the green chilli and ginger along with the finely chopped garlic.

4. Keep stirring continuously, as the mix has a tendency to catch on the bottom of the pan. If it does catch add a splash of water. After a few minutes, add the tomatoes, tamarind and red chilli.

5. Bring the sauce to a boil. Once it’s shiny and thick, add the lamb to the pan, stirring to coat the meat with the sauce. Add 100ml of water to the pan and bring to a boil again, then pour it all into your slow cooker.

6. Cook on high for 6 hours – the lamb should be really tender. If you want to thicken the sauce, just bring it to a boil to reduce until ready.

To find out more about Hari Ghotra’s slow-cooking secrets, click here or visit her website