Lamb Massaman Curry
Luscious lamb. Baby potatoes for company. The intoxicating perfume of that lemongrass - kafir lime leaves -galangal steeped curry paste. The numbing fire of chillies. The earthy sweetness of coconut cream. Stewed languorously over a mellow flame.
This is food at its decadent best.
Enjoy !!!
Ingredients
- 750 g lamb curry cut
- 250 g baby potatoes boiled in salted water
- 150 g shallots
- 700 ml coconut cream
- 500 ml coconut milk
- 1/3 cup peanuts roasted and peeled
- 3-4 bay leaves
- 4-5 green cardamoms
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp tamarind paste
- 4 tbsp oil
- palm sugar or jaggery to taste
- salt to taste
For the Massaman Curry Paste
- 7-8 dry red chilies deseeded and soaked in water
- 1/3 cup onions finele chopped
- 2 tbsp galangal or ginger finely grated
- 4 tbsp garlic finely chopped
- 4 tbsp lemongrass finele chopped
- 4 tbsp peanuts roasted and peeled
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 3 tsp cumin seeds
- 4-5 cloves
- 2 one inch cinnamon sticks
- 6 green cardamoms
- 1/2 of nutmeg grated
- 1 floret of mace coarsely ground
Instructions
For Massaman Curry Paste
- Roast the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cloves, cinnamon and green cardamom separately over a moderate flame. Grind to a fine powder. Add the grated nutmeg and mace.
- Take the onions, galangal, garlic, chillies, lemongrass, coriander shoots and peanuts in a mortar, add the spice powder and hand-pound till it forms a smooth paste.
For the Massaman Curry
- Coarsely grind the peanuts, keep aside.
- Dissolve the tamarind paste in 2 tbsp water, keep aside.
- Heat 4 tbsp oil in pan, sear the lamb pieces in batches till evenly brown. Keep aside. Fry the baby potatoes and shallots in the same oil. Keep aside.
- Pour the coconut milk in a deep bottomed pot, throw in the bay leaves and green cardamom., bring to a gentle simmer. Add the lamb to the pot, let it stew over a low medium flame, about an hour or so.
- Crack the coconut cream in a separate hot pan. Add the massaman curry paste to the coconut cream in small increments, cook over a high flame, stirring occasionally, till the curry paste is completely incorporated and oil starts getting released from the paste.
- Add the fish sauce, palm sugar (or jaggery) and tamarind water. Give it a hearty stir. Cook for 3-5 minutes.
- Now add the paste to the stewing lamb, throw in the potatoes, onions and peanuts, give it a mix.
- Add a cup of warm water, continue to cook over a low-medium flame, some 20 minutes or so. Adjust seasonings. Serve hot.