Recipe: Lamb Cooked with Cardamom (Indian)

LAMB COOKED WITH CARDAMOM

1/2 cup plain yogurt
35 green cardamom pods
1/2 cup oil
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
2 1/4 pounds lamb, on or off the bone
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon ground chile
2 teaspoons ground coriander
3 medium tomatoes (a sourish variety), finely chopped
Salt
chapatis or hot cooked rice (for serving)

Whisk yogurt with a fork in a bowl. Set aside.

Grind whole green cardamoms in a blender with a little water, or in a coffee grinder without water and then mix with a little water to make a paste.

Heat oil in a cooking pot. Add cardamom paste and pepper, and fry over low heat 2-3 minutes.

Add meat and turmeric, ground chile and coriander, and saute 10 minutes, stirring all the time to prevent mixture from sticking to bottom of pot, adding water if necessary. Note: The secret of success with this dish lies in making sure that the meat and spices are fried for a full 10 minutes without allowing the spices to burn. Therefore it is essential to keep the heat low and use the recommended amount of oil.

Lower heat and add yogurt, tomatoes and salt to taste, and continue to saute 5 minutes more.

Add about 4 cups of water, cover pot, and leave to simmer over a low heat until meat is tender.

Serve with chapatis or rice.

Serves 6
Source: 50 Great Curries of India by Camellia Panjabi