1,000 Indian Recipes (251 page)

A few things apply uniformly to how most meat dishes are prepared in India. First, in most instances, all or a major part of the visible fat is trimmed off before the meat is cooked. Second, the meat is mostly cooked with the bone in, and even when the recipe calls for boneless meats, a few bone-in pieces are often left in the dish because bones enhance flavor and nutrients. (Even though I don't actively call for bones to be added, it's a good practice to follow.)

I tend to gravitate toward certain cuts: the leg of lamb, or the rib or loin chops for special dishes. I find that the meat from the leg, especially the upper butt or the thigh portion, is the best—it's easy to trim off the fat, the flavor is good, and you get a lot of boneless meat that is easy to cook and to serve family or buffet-style. Beef or pork can be used interchangeably with lamb; just cut the pieces in similar sizes, and proceed with the recipe. There is no change in cooking time.

Buying Leg of Lamb

Leg of lamb has two parts to it: the upper butt or thigh portion, which is the part generally sold as leg of lamb; and the bottom part, which is mostly bone with muscles attached and is called lamb shanks. Leg of lamb is sold in the meat section of most supermarkets. You can buy boneless leg of lamb, but if your market does not have it, ask the butcher to debone and trim the fat from the bone-in leg and cut it into pieces.

An average leg of lamb is 5 to 7 pounds. When boned and trimmed of fat, it will have 3 to 4 pounds of meat. Use what is needed and freeze the rest for another recipe. Or cook it all at once and freeze leftovers.

Classic Lamb Curries

Basic Pan-Roasted Lamb Curry

Bhunnae Gosht ki Kari

Makes 4 to 6 servings

In this basic curry, the meat is stirred and roasted until well-browned. In India, this dish is customarily made with bone-in pieces, but because I noticed people fishing for the boneless ones in the thick curry pool, I make this recipe with boneless pieces. Of course, the addition of a few bone-in pieces (such as lamb shanks or chops), will add more flavor to this curry.

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger

2 large cloves fresh garlic, minced

2 large tomatoes, finely chopped

2 tablespoons ground coriander

2 teaspoons garam masala

1 teaspoon ground cumin

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon ground turmeric

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon dried cayenne pepper, or to taste

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

2 pounds boneless leg of lamb (see
Buying Leg of Lamb
), or beef (rump, brisket, or sirloin), all visible fat trimmed and the meat cut into 1
¹
⁄
₂
-inch pieces

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1
¹
⁄
₂
cups nonfat plain yogurt, whisked until smooth

3 to 4 cups water

1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves

3 to 4 cups water

¹
⁄
₄
cup chopped cilantro

1.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or sauce-pan and cook the onions, stirring as needed, initially over high heat for the first 3 to 5 minutes and then over medium-low heat until well-browned, about 12 minutes.

2.
Add the ginger and garlic, stir about 1 minute, then add the tomatoes and cook, until most of the juices evaporate, about 5 minutes.

3.
Add the coriander, garam masala (save
¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon for garnish), cumin, turmeric, and chile powder cayenne pepper and stir about 30 seconds. Mix in the lamb and salt, and stir, initially over high heat the first 3 to 5 minutes, and then over medium-low heat until the lamb is well-browned and fragrant, 15 to 20 minutes.

4.
Add the yogurt, a little at a time, while stirring constantly to prevent it from curdling, and cook until it is completely absorbed, about 5 minutes. Add the water, cover the pan, and cook until the lamb is fork-tender (adding more water, if necessary), and the sauce is as thick or as soupy as desired, 50 to 60 minutes. Add the fenugreek leaves during the last 5 minutes of cooking.

5.
Transfer to a serving dish, lightly mix in the cilantro, sprinkle the garam masala on top, and serve hot.

Variation:
If you're in a hurry, after Step 3, transfer everything (just before you add the yogurt) to a pressure cooker and cook over high heat until the regulator indicates high pressure, then cook about 2 minutes more. Allow the pot to depressurize, 12 to 15 minutes. Carefully open the lid, add the yogurt, and stir until it is absorbed. Add the fenugreek leaves and continue with Step 5.

Classic Marinated Lamb Curry

Dahi Mein Bhigae Gosht ki Kari

Makes 4 to 6 servings

This is another popular way of making an everyday lamb curry. With the meat cleaned and marinated a day ahead, the actual cooking time is reduced, or so it seems, because half the work has already been done.

1 recipe
Basic Curry Paste with Onion

2 pounds boneless leg of lamb (see
Buying Leg of Lamb
) or beef (rump, brisket, or sirloin), all visible fat trimmed, cut into 1
¹
⁄
₂
-inch pieces

¹
⁄
₂
cup nonfat plain yogurt, whisked until smooth

2 teaspoons garam masala

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1 tablespoon peanut oil

5 green cardamom pods, crushed lightly to break the skin

1 (1-inch) stick cinnamon, broken lengthwise

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 tablespoon ground coriander

4 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, skin punctured to prevent bursting

2 teaspoons ground dried fenugreek leaves

2 to 3 cups water

¹
⁄
₄
cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

1.
Prepare the curry paste. Then, place the lamb in a large non-reactive bowl. Add the yogurt, curry paste, garam masala (save
¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon for garnish), turmeric, and salt and mix well, making sure all the pieces are well-coated with the marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator, at least 4 and up to 24 hours.

2.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or saucepan over medium-high heat, add the cardamom pods, cinnamon, and cumin seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the coriander, then mix in the marinated lamb with the marinade and cook over high heat, stirring, until it comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and cook until most of the juices are dry, 20 to 25 minutes.

3.
Uncover the pan, add the green chile peppers and fenugreek leaves, increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring, until the pieces are well-browned and are coated with the sauce, 10 to 12 minutes.

4.
Add the water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and simmer until the lamb is fork-tender and the sauce thick. Transfer to a serving dish, mix in half the cilantro, garnish with reserved garam masala and the remaining cilantro, and serve hot.

Variation:
To make a saucy dish, add some more whisked yogurt, buttermilk, or water in Step 4 and cook until you have your desired sauce. Adjust the seasonings and serve.

Curried Lamb with Whole Spices

Khada Masala Gosht

Makes 4 to 6 servings

This dish is called
khada
or
sabut masala gosht
, which literally translates as meat with "standing" (
khada
) or "whole" (
sabut
) spices. The whole spices are not discarded, as one does a bouquet-garni or a seasoning pouch, but are very much a part of the dish, offering visual appeal and bursts of flavor for the daring. (Those who don't dare can push the spices to the side of their dish.)

¹
⁄
₂
cup plain yogurt, whisked until smooth

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon saffron threads

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 to 6 dried red chile peppers, such as chile de arbol, stems punctured to prevent bursting

2 (1-inch) sticks cinnamon, broken

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

6 green cardamom pods, crushed lightly to break the skin

4 black cardamom pods, crushed lightly to break the skin

3 bay leaves

6 cloves

1
¹
⁄
₂
teaspoons cumin seeds

1 large onion, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced

2 tablespoons
Basic Ginger-Garlic Paste
(or store-bought)

2 pounds boneless leg of lamb (see
Buying Leg of Lamb
) or beef (rump, brisket, or sirloin), all visible fat trimmed, cut into 1
¹
⁄
₂
-inch pieces

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

5 to 6 cups water

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon garam masala

¹
⁄
₈
teaspoon ground mace