A Curried Lamb Dish for Dinner

Heidi and me opening gifts

I have mentioned quite a few times lately that a friend, Heidi, and I had celebrated our birthdays together. When asked what she would like for our dinner, she said Indian Curry. Since I am a total lover of Indian spices and flavors, an Indian Curry sounded perfect for our birthday dinner. Most times, I use a recipe from somewhere and then embellish to my husband's and my taste. Most often, the changes and embellishments leave little of the original recipe. However, since I had already had at least one and up to 3 guests at a time for the previous three weeks, I was seriously cooked out by the time it came to our birthday dinner. I looked desultorily through some of my Indian cookbooks but could not find a single recipe (which attests to my tired and scattered state of mind) that seemed to fit. The only specific was that it was to have lamb in it for the meat. 

More often than not, when cooking Indian food for guests I really go crazy, making all the side dishes I love so much like Palak Paneer or a Dhal recipe using little red lentils. I make Paneer from scratch, along with whatever is the main dish. I made Gulab Jamun once. I just love those little things for dessert. I have oodles of recipes I have made successfully and deliciously. Besides being hurried, and because I had absolutely no plan for a dish for this meal, nothing sounded good. Maybe I need more cookbooks! Probably not, though I will likely get more. But seriously, it was not the cookbooks that were lacking. It was just that I had no free time in peace and quiet to peruse and select at my leisure, pure and simple. I am a planner. When something special is required, I take plenty of time ahead and look carefully through my books for inspiration.

Curried Lamb with Peas over Saffron Rice

So it was that I came to the time to prepare the meal (my kids who were visiting had just left that morning, so I was still missing them acutely), with my guest Heidi having just arrived, and still with absolutely no plan for my Indian Curry. I was beginning to panic. Finally I just decided to wing it; something that is very rare for me. I knew I wanted to use coconut milk, because my husband and I really love curries with that flavor. I most often include green peppers and peas in my curries, purely because they are some of the very few vegetables my husband will eat. 

Basmati rice

This time though, I also had Heidi's tastes to consider. She is willing to try things, but to date, her tastes are quite different than mine. She likes more simple foods, and nothing too exotic. I had her taste plantains. She was completely unimpressed and left them on her plate barely tasted. Black beans, the same. She will eat, but sparingly, if she doesn't care for it. She surprised me on two counts this trip, because she tasted my Serbian Grandmother's Beets with Horseradish with ham for breakfast, and while serving herself sparingly at first, she went back for a little more, then a little more, and yet again. Yea, Heidi!

I had already butchered a leg of lamb in preparation for the meal. I just had to find something to do with it. I started pulling out spices that sounded good to me (ALL Indian spices sound good to me!), resulting in quite a list. I got out the coconut milk. I opted to set the meat to "marinate" briefly with a few things while prepping others. The only accompaniment to the curried dish was saffron rice. I could not believe Heidi was unaware of saffron! She loved the flavor of the rice and the smell of the saffron, so I have hopes for her on that score! My saffron rice is simple, but we love it. I buy large bags of Basmati Rice (from India, it says on the bag) when making this rice, and we love the flavor. It is a side dish for many meals - not only Indian.

Saffron

Saffron Rice

Serves 4 - 6
 
1 cup Basmati rice
1 tablespoon butter or ghee
1 teaspoon salt
pinch saffron
2 cups water


Place rice, butter and salt into a medium saucepan with tight fitting lid. Rub the saffron between fingers to break up into very tiny bits. Add water. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes with the lid on. Remove from heat and leave lid on until ready to serve.

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As for my curry recipe, it came out well, following no recipe at all, but only adding in things I really love. If ground fenugreek is not available, soak a teaspoon of whole fenugreek seeds in hot water to cover for about 15 minutes, then add the seeds and water to the main dish while it cooks. Many Indian dishes are well spiced with chilies of some kind. I have red chile powder (not the kind used in Chile con Carne - just plain ground chilies) and added ½ teaspoon. The heat was not very noticeable. If desired hotter, use cayenne or add in some hot chilies of choice to cook with the dish. Here is what I did:

Curried Lamb with Peas

Serves 4 to 6

Curried Lamb with Peas

2 pounds lean lamb stew meat
1 teaspoon rosewater or water
1 pinch saffron
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon fenugreek powder
1 tablespoon Tandoor Spice

MASALA MIX:
2-inches true cinnamon, broken
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
4 whole cloves
4 cardamom pods, seeds only
1½ teaspoons coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon ghee or oil of choice
1 large onion, chopped
1 green pepper, cut into cubes
1 can coconut milk, stirred
½ teaspoon hot chili powder
½ cup almond meal
1½ cup frozen peas
2 teaspoons Garam Masala
cilantro leaves for garnish

In a small bowl, soften the saffron threads in the rose water or water. Set the meat into a mixing bowl, add in the saffron mixture with the ginger, garlic, salt, fenugreek powder and Tandoor Spice. Allow the meat to marinate while preparing the remaining ingredients.

Heat a dry skillet to medium high and add in the whole Masala spices. Stir them quickly, moving constantly, to bring out their fragrance and oils. Pour onto a plate to cool, then grind them in a spice grinder and set aside.

In a large skillet or pot, over medium heat, melt the ghee. Add in the meat and stir quickly to sear slightly. Add in the onion and cook, stirring frequently until the onion has softened. Add in the ground Masala and stir to combine, then add in the green pepper and about 1/2 to ¾ of the can of coconut milk. Bring the mixture to boil, then reduce heat, cover and cook for about 45 minutes, or until the meat has become tender. If at any point the pan becomes too dry, add in a little more of the coconut milk, as needed. Stir in the almond meal, which will thicken the mixture slightly. About 5 minutes before serving, add the frozen peas and allow them to that and the curry to come back to full heat. Add the Garam Masala and check for salt. Serve over Saffron Rice. Garnish with cilantro leaves.

As it turned out, I am glad to report that both Rich and Heidi loved the curry. They each served them selves seconds or more and were so taken with the flavors and style of the curry. We loved it too, so obviously winging it once in a while is also a good thing!



My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

One of My Favorite Chicken Curries

As I mentioned in my post yesterday, I love Indian food, and spices of all kinds, but some of the ones most commonly found in Indian cuisine are among my top favorites. When I find a recipe using all sorts of combinations of spices, I just have to try it. So, I have one recipe in a cookbook that has been a go-to favorite for a long time, because of the spice mixtures. I alter the recipe, as noted in yesterday's blog. Partly due to my husband's need for a sauce or something to put on the accompanying rice, I add in a can of coconut milk. Partly because making an Indian side dish to accompany the curry means an added amount of work, I just add vegetables to the curry itself and circumvent a side dish. 

Chicken Curry with Peas

While the basis of the curry recipe is there, it may be unrecognizable once I am done making it. And one way or the other, the flavors are just so tremendously good. Thankfully my husband does like the Indian flavors. If not I don't know what I'd do. He doesn't tolerate too much chili-spice though, but I can always sprinkle on some cayenne when I serve my plate. 

This chicken curry is wonderful, but when it comes down to Indian meals, lamb is my favorite. Unfortunately, lamb is very hard to find here, and if I do, it is prohibitively expensive. I used to just buy a boneless lamb leg and cut the thing up myself into chunks of varying sizes. Lamb has a lot of silver-skin running through it, along with fat, making it difficult to cut up. While trying to avoid the tough silver-skin, I end up with a lot of very small bits. Sometimes I run these little bits briefly in the food processor and use the resultant ground meat to make Indian meatballs or just lamb "burgers." Any chunks I can glean that are of uniform size I freeze in 1-pound portions in zip top bags in the freezer until the mood for Indian strikes.

Back to the chicken curry. If perchance you love spices as I do, and if you decide to make the Easy Garam Masala, Curry Powder and the Tandoor Spice, or just have your own on hand, then do try this recipe. I am using my variation on the recipe here, but feel free to adjust to your taste. Any one of the spice mixtures would be great alone, really. The dish is easily made into a "dry" curry by eliminating the coconut milk and only adding in little bits of water to keep the curry from burning while it cooks. In this recipe "amchur powder" is used for its souring effect. 

Amchur / Dry Mango Powder

Amchur or Dried Green Mango Powder

Amchur / amchoor / aamchur is a condiment or seasoning made from very green mangos, sliced and dried, then ground into powder. It is used mainly in northern Indian cuisines, adding a fruity flavor and a sour note similar to lemon or vinegar. It also has tenderizing effects, much as do lemon juice or vinegar, and is useful in marinades. As mangoes are seasonal, drying them into powder gives access to their benefits all year round.

Amchur is high in vitamin C, as well as Vitamins A (beta-carotene), E and iron. Use it to substitute for tamarind in sweet-sour preparations like some dals or sambar, and in chicken and fish dishes. If you do not have amchur powder, substitute a good squeeze of lemon juice at the end of cooking time.

Chicken Curry with Peas

Serves 3 - 4

Chicken Curry with Peas

1 tablespoon oil or ghee; more if needed
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
1 large onion, chopped finely
2 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger
1 - 2 fresh green chiles, jalapeno or serrano, as desired
2 teaspoons curry powder
2 teaspoons tandoor spice
1 - 2 teaspoons garam masala
1 teaspoon paprika
1½ teaspoons salt, or as needed, to taste
½ teaspoon amchur powder (OR lemon juice later)
1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken (I use breast meat)
1 green pepper, in small chunks
½ can (from a 14.5 ounce can) coconut milk
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
½ cup cilantro, plus leaves for garnish
½ cup raw cashews, lightly toasted in a dry pan, optional

Place ghee or oil in a large skillet over medium heat and once hot, add the mustard seeds. Stir these rapidly until they pop and splutter. Add in the onion, garlic, ginger and green chilies if using (photo 1 below). Saute these until the onion is golden, stirring often, about 15 minutes (photo 2 below). While the mixture is sauteing, combine in a small bowl the curry powder, tandoor spice, garam masala, paprika, salt and amchur powder. Cut the chicken into 1½-inch cubes and set aside. 

photos 1 through 5

Once the onions are golden, add in the mixture of spices (photo 3 above) and mix, tossing until fragrant, 1 - 2 minutes (photo 4 above). Add in the chicken pieces and toss them well so they are completely coated in the spices (photo 5 above). Add in the green pepper and the coconut milk, stir well, cover and cook on a low simmer for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is done. Add in the cilantro. If you did not use the amchur powder, add in about a tablespoon of lemon juice now and stir well to combine. Add in the peas and let the mixture come back to a simmer before serving. Strew the cashews over top with a few cilantro leaves for garnish.


If making a dry curry, it is great served with a sauced vegetable side dish. Also, it is often served with one of the many Indian breads. My understanding is that Naan, while wildly popular here in the US, is relatively uncommon in India. This is because Naan is traditionally made in a tandoor oven, something that is not available to the normal Indian household. Chapatis, Parathas and other flat breads are far more commonly made as everyday accompaniments. If you cannot find Naan or one of these others, any soft flatbread will work well to scoop up the chunks of meat. I hope you enjoy this curry dish as much as we do!



My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

Curry Powder and Other Indian Spices

Star Anise

I love Indian food and Indian spices. I love spices, period. But when it comes to the flavors in Indian cuisine, they just do something wonderful to my taste buds. Obviously, not everyone will agree with me. I just cannot seem to find enjoyment in Thai cuisine for example, yet that is a very popular set of flavors here in the US. To each his own.

Cardamom is one spice I learned about and used first in Guatemala. Guatemala is one of the largest growers of green cardamom. My best friend there, Elena, gave me a jelly jar filled with cardamom seeds from her father's cardamom plantation. At the time in my early 20s, I had never used cardamom, but had heard of it somewhere. When I discovered Indian cuisine, and that cardamom was used often, I was hooked. So many spices I had never heard of back then: nigella, black cumin, ajwain, asafoetida, black cardamom (entirely different from the green cardamom), fenugreek, star anise. Then came the Indian spice mixtures, such as Garam Masala, which is easily found on most grocery shelves these days along with curry powder.

A sampling of some Indian spices. Set into the identical box for photos, the sizes are proportional.

I have a few requirements when I make an Indian meal. If I serve rice, my husband must have a sauce to cover the rice completely. There are a lot of Indian "dry curries" that end up nearly devoid of sauce. This is fine, as long as I am not serving rice. I happen to love rice. I can happily eat plain cooked rice. Not so my husband. When I say I use a recipe from a cookbook, I must generally make a saucier version than is called for. I usually add in things like green peppers and peas, because those are things my husband likes. I usually use coconut milk because this gives great flavors while providing the needed sauce. These are common enough in Indian cuisines, so it is no great deviation. As a basis for one particular curry dish I make often, I started out using a recipe from an Indian cookbook as a baseline concept. Any recipe that calls for a lot of spices automatically calls my attention. For me, the more the merrier. 

This recipe calls for garam masala as well as tandoor spice and curry powder. I have a favorite recipe for garam masala, as well as an easy variation that I use at times, below.

Easy Garam Masala

Makes about ⅓ to ½ cup

2 inches true cinnamon stick, crumbled (about 1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon cardamom seeds
1 tablespoon cloves
1 tablespoon tej patta leaves, crumbled (if unavailable, omit)
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon coriander seeds

Place all spices into a dry skillet and heat to fairly high. Stir very often, so the spices do not burn. When they are very fragrant, remove from heat to a plate to cool. Grind in a spice grinder or coffee grinder used only for spices. Store in a tightly sealed container in a cool, dry place. 

I have one recipe for curry powder, but have never been quite happy with the flavor. I truly dislike store bought curry powder as well. For me, the flavor just does not fall into that "wonderful Indian spices" category. Making up your own spice mixes is really the better way to go. Though I am not 100% crazy about my current curry powder mixture, it far and away tops any little bottle from the grocery. With that in mind, yesterday I decided to revise my mixture and it came out way better than the previous one. The only real "coloring agent" in the mix is the turmeric, in comparison with the Tandoor Spice recipe below. Here is what I used:

 

Curry Powder

Curry Powder

Makes about ⅔ cup

¼ cup coriander seeds
3 tablespoons yellow mustard seed
1 tablespoon cumin seed
1 tablespoon ground ginger
4½ teaspoons fenugreek powder
4 teaspoons ground turmeric
1 teaspoon mace blades, (OR
½ teaspoon ground mace)
1 teaspoon cardamom seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
½ of a star anise
2-inches true cinnamon quill

Place any whole spices into a spice grinder or a coffee grinder used only for spices. Grind to a fine powder. Combine with the pre-ground spices, mixing well. Store in a glass jar in a cool, dark, dry place.

Using a spice mixture in Indian cuisine usually entails adding them to a hot oil mix. Either whole spices are added to hot oil and "crackled" (the sound they make when frying in hot oil), or the ground mixtures are added to already sauteed onion, garlic and ginger, where the oils are mixed with the vegetables. Generally the spices are added before the main event, whether meat or other. When the meat is added, it is tossed to coat well in all the mixture of spices before the cooking begins. Sometimes, the spice mixture is mixed into the meat before it ever hits the pan at all, much like a dry rub. 

Often in an Indian recipe is used a mix of whole spices, called a Whole Masala, along with a ground spice mixture, sometimes accompanied by various other single spices. Like I said; the more the merrier! Tandoor spice is another nice mix of spices which can be used for flavor of course, but especially for the color they provide, though nothing like that garish red sometimes seen in Tandoori Chicken. (A food coloring agent is used to give the very red color, and I prefer not to use something that is not an actual spice.) With the inclusion of turmeric, paprika, ground red chilies and saffron, these ingredients are definitely coloring agents, unlike the Curry Powder recipe above. Tandoor Spice is great as a dry rub for chicken both for its color and its flavor. Here is my recipe:

Tandoor Spice

Tandoor Spice

Makes about ⅓ cup

2 tablespoons ground turmeric
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon garam masala
1½ teaspoons green cardamom seeds
1 teaspoon ground dried red chiles (seeds will make the mixture far hotter and also paler colored; remove seeds if desired)
½ teaspoon saffron threads

Grind any spices that are whole such as saffron and cardamom seeds. 

The chilies should be ground before measuring for the recipe. Conversely, if buying from a reputable Indian grocer, they may have good quality chili powder (meaning without the addition of all the seeds, and never to be confused with the "Chili Powder" mixture that is used for making chili con carne).

Once all spices are in powdered form, mix to thoroughly combine and store in an airtight jar in a cool, dark, dry place. 

Tomorrow I will write about the recipe I created for my Chicken Curry. It is so wonderfully flavored and colored. It tastes sublime. I love serving it with rice. I recently made a batch of Naan breads and if you need bread with your meal, these are wonderful. Till then!



My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.