There’s more than one way to curry a lamb

We made curries for Bill and Whitney’s wedding shower at work last week, and sent them off with presents and all our best wishes. I love lamb curries so it was hard for me to decide which one to make; here are a few examples of how lamb blends with curry flavoring so well. The Saag Gosht I made – curried lamb with spinach – seemed a crowd pleaser, and went well with basmati rice, raita – cold, spiced yogurt sauce, and dhal – curried lentils. My colleague also made a great chicken curry, saffron rice and the dhal. Try any of these lamb curries with rice, dhal and raita.


Saag Gosht
Curried Lamb with Spinach

2 lb boneless leg of lamb, cubed
2 10-oz packages fresh spinach
2 onions, diced
2 ripe fresh tomatoes, diced and drained, reserve juices
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ piece fresh ginger, minced
2 tsp. curry powder
2 tsp. Garam Masala
1 tsp. cumin seeds
2 sticks cinnamon
½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)
½ cup water

In a large stew pot, sauté lamb in batches, in a bit of canola oil over very high heat. Set lamb aside in a bowl. Meanwhile, steam the spinach in a bit of water. Drain very well (I roll it in a tea towel and squeeze), and chop finely.

Add a bit of canola oil to stew pot. Fry the onion until softened, beginning to turn golden, and very fragrant, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and continue frying for another minute or two, with stirring. Add the curry powder, Garam Masala and cumin seeds and cook with stirring until fragrant. Set the onion mixture aside with the lamb.

Turn heat to high and add a bit of canola oil to pot. Sear the tomatoes until most of the liquid has evaporated and the tomatoes begin to caramelize a bit. Return the onion and lamb mixture to the pot, add the cinnamon sticks, red pepper and the water, and simmer for an hour, stirring from time to time. Salt to taste. Add more water if necessary to form a nice sauce. Serve with rice. Serves 6-8.


Curried Lamb Marinated With Mint, Lemon and Pineapple Yogurt, Skewered with Basil

If you can't find pineapple yogurt (can be hard to find) just mix up some canned pineapple with plain yogurt - you can skewer the remaining pineapple with the lamb as well.

Marinade:
1 8-oz container pineapple low fat yogurt
zest and juice of ½ lemon
palmful fresh (or 2 tsp dried) mint leaves, minced
2 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp Korma Masala (below)
1 tsp salt

2 lb. boneless leg of lamb, cubed
about 3 dozen fresh basil leaves
Mix together the marinade ingredients and marinate the meat overnight. Thread the meat onto skewers alternating with basil leaves. Grill for about 10 minutes, or until lamb is cooked through, turning regularly.


Shahi Korma
Creamy Indian Lamb with Almonds

This creamy Indian lamb dish with almonds is made aromatic with cinnamon sticks and a sweet masala (ground spice mix) made with coriander, fenugreek and ginger – it is much more mild and fruity than traditional ‘curry powder’. I use an electric coffee grinder dedicated to grinding aromatic spices. The almond paste helps to make a creamy sauce. The longer this dish simmers, the more tender the lamb becomes.

2 lb. boneless leg of lamb, cubed
2 large onions, diced
1 Tbsp Korma Masala (below)
2 sticks cinnamon
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup water
1/2 cup light sour cream
1/2 cup yogurt

Almond paste:
8 cloves garlic
1-inch piece fresh ginger
1/2 cup blanched slivered almonds
1/2 cup water

Blend together the almonds in a food processor until granular. Add the garlic, ginger and water and continue processing until the paste is very smooth.

In a large stew pot, heat a bit of canola oil and sear the lamb in three to four batches over high heat with regular stirring. Make each batch small enough so that pieces are not crowded enough to touch each other. Salt the lamb while searing, and remove each batch to a bowl.
Add a bit more oil if necessary, and fry the onion over medium heat for about five minutes. Add the masala spice mix and the cinnamon. Continue frying about another five minutes. Remove the onions to the meat and add the almond paste. Cook over medium heat for about five minutes, with regular stirring. Return meat and onions to pot and add coconut milk and water. Stir and simmer for at least 1 hour or more, until lamb is very tender. Stir occasionally.

Right before serving, stir in the sour cream and yogurt. Keep warm, but do not boil after this point as it can cause the yogurt to separate. Serves 6-8.


Korma Masala

This is a sweet Indian spice mix (masala), much more mild than traditional ‘curry powder’.

3 cardamom cloves
1 Tbsp coriander seeds
2 Tbsp fenugreek seeds
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

Grind all spices together in an electric coffee grinder dedicated to spice grinding.


Basmati Pullao
Spiced Indian Rice

1½ cup Indian Basmati rice
1 Tbsp canola oil
6 cardamom pods
½ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp mustard seeds
1 bay leaf
3 cups water
1 tsp salt

Rinse the rice in water at least 3-4 times, until the water remains clear. Drain very, very well. Sauté rice in oil, stirring constantly for about 8-10 minutes, until the rice is aromatic and turns from translucent to white. Add the spices after about five minutes. Do not brown or burn the rice or you should start over).

Add the water, salt and bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Stir and lower the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes or until the rice has absorbed all the water. Fluff with a fork.


Dhal
Creamy Indian Lentils

1 cup small red Indian lentils (Masoor Malka)
2 cups water
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp Korma Masala (above)
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ inch fresh ginger, minced
1 tsp salt

Bring the water to a boil in a medium pot and add the lentils. Cook about 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a small pan and fry the cumin and mustard seeds for 1-2 minutes, just until they become aromatic. Add the garlic and ginger and cook another minute or two until the garlic and ginger have softened.

Stir together the lentils, spices and the salt. Adjust water if necessary to make a creamy side dish.


Raita
Cold spiced yogurt sauce

I like to drain my yogurt through a coffee filter to remove a good portion of the whey – it makes the raita much richer.

2 cups yogurt
3 inches English cucumber, finely diced
1 clove garlic, pressed through garlic press
½ tsp red pepper flakes
palmful fresh mint leaves, minced, or 2 tsp dried mint
pinch of salt

Mix all ingredients together and allow to marinate overnight.

Go Beyond Green - Cold Salads for Summer

I won’t say how to make a green salad – there’s really no recipe for that. So the only tip I’ll give is to try mixing fruits with veggies in a green salad – I love grapes, strawberries or blueberries in my salads mixed with snow peas, roasted beets or artichoke hearts – whatever.
Summer mix green salad with grapes and grape tomatoes.

But cold salads go beyond greens – and summer is a great time to try them. I love grains and legumes, and I put together these cold whole grain salads for summer dinners, more as complete meals than accompaniments. The whole grain wheat berries, barley, lentils and beans give a resistant, al-dente feel to the teeth, and a complete balanced protein complement – especially if eaten with cheese or other diary product.

A common factor in many of these salads is the herb-vinaigrette ‘slush’. Citrus – juice and zest – infused with herbs in olive oil guarantee a fresh dressing. You could use dried herbs (in the winter, for example) but try to get fresh herbs. Use different citrus fruit (including grapefruit – stay tuned) and most any fresh herbs you have in your garden. Just be careful of rosemary, which can be fairly intense for a fresh summer cold salad.

I also include a potato and apple salad, which I love – again adding fruit and crunch to a savory salad.

Israeli Couscous Primavera
2 cups Israeli couscous
10 oz. white button mushrooms quartered
4-inches English cucumber diced
1 small yellow squash, diced
1 jar marinated artichokes, drained and halved
12 grape tomatoes, halved
½ cup vinaigrette (or Italian) dressing

Cook couscous in plenty of boiling, salted water until al-dente – about 6-8 minutes. Drain rinse briefly with cold water to cool. Toss with remaining ingredients and chill.


Wheat Berry and Lentil Salad
1 cup wheat berries, soaked overnight if you can
½ cup small Puy (black/olive) lentils – see 2-25-08
1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced or 1 large tomato, diced and drained
1 green onion, sliced
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
¼ cup olive oil
½ tsp coriander powder
Palmful fresh parsley, minced
1 Tbsp fresh mint, minced
1 clove garlic, pressed through garlic press

Cook wheat in salted water until al-dente. I like to use a pressure cooker – about 30 minutes, compared to about 60 minutes in an un-pressurized pot. A pressure cooker not only saves energy but keeps the kitchen cooler on hot summer days. Drain wheat and allow to cool.

Cook lentils in non-salted water for about 20 minutes, and then add a teaspoon of salt. Continue cooking about another 5 minutes, being careful not to overcook, or the lentils will fall apart. Taste-test often. Brain and let cool.

Mix remaining ingredients together and then gently fold in the drain wheat and lentils. Salt and pepper to taste. Allow to marinate at least half an hour.


Bean and Barley Salad
1 can garbanzo beans, drained
1 can Navy beans, drained
1/3 cup pearl barley
¼ cup olive oil
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
Palmful parsley, minced
1 green onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, pressed in garlic press
½ orange pepper, finely diced
1 Tbsp white wine vinegar

Cook barley in 3 cups salted water for about 15-20 minutes, just until the barley is al-dente. Drain and let cool.

Mix together all ingredients and marinate at least half an hour.


Brown Rice and Edamame Salad
1 cup short-grain brown rice
1½ cup frozen, shelled Edamame (green soybean)
1 carrot, coarsely grated
1 green onion, chopped
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp olive oil
Juice and zest of ½ lime
1 clove garlic, pressed through garlic press
½-inch fresh ginger, finely minced
1 Tbsp sesame seeds

Cook rice with two cups water and 1 tsp. salt for about 20 minutes. Fluff and tip out onto a platter to cool down.

Meanwhile, cook Edamame in salted water for about 5-10 minutes until tender to your liking. Drain and cool.

Mix together all the remaining ingredients and fold in the rice and Edamame. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Allow to marinate at least half an hour.