Slow cooked mutton curry with garam masala

Tags

curry, garam masala, indian, Lamb, mutton

Friends of ours recently returned from a trip to India and brought me back some spices, including garam masala for mutton. I decided to use the spices immediately and invite them over for a meal to taste. This is such a quick and easy recipe. Not too hot but incredibly flavourful. I served it with rice and chutney. If you cannot find mutton, no problem, simply use lamb instead.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 kg / 2lbs leg of mutton cut to bite-sized pieces
• 5 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 1/2 cm / 1″ piece ginger, roughly chopped
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 large tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 1 heaped tsp kashmiri chilli powder (or mild paprika)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons Greek yogurt
• 2 teaspoons coriander powder
• Pinch turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 2 teaspoons garam masala powder
• 2 green chillies, slit lengthwise (optional)
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped coriander leaves
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped mint leaves

Preparation:

Mix the garlic and ginger to a coarse paste and add to the lamb
Stir well and set aside for an hour or overnight if you have time
In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan heat the oil on a medium heat
Add the marinated lamb chunks and fry for 5-6 minutes stirring well to seal
Add the sliced tomatoes and cook for a further 8 minutes
The tomatoes will begin to break down and soften
Add the onions and chilli powder and stir well cooking for a further 3 minutes
Season to taste
Lower the heat and simmer with the lid on for 30 minutes stirring occasionally
In a bowl mix together the Greek yogurt with the ground spices: coriander, turmeric, cumin
Add this to the lamb and stir well
Continue simmering on a low heat and with the lid half over the pan for 45-50 minutes, stirring occasionally
Turn the heat off and while it’s still warm add the garam masala, chillies if using, coriander and mint
Enjoy!

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Cabbage and lamb bredie – a South African speciality

Tags

bredie, cabbage, Lamb, mutton, potato, rainbow nation, South Africa, stew

A South African classic. A bredie is a type of stew, slowly simmered – the type of vegetable used usually gives it its name.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 medium cabbage, cleaned
30 ml / 2 tablespoons oil
1 kg / 2 lbs lamb knuckles or shoulder
1 large onion, chopped
250 ml / 1 cup lamb or veal stock
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 teaspoon sugar
Pinch turmeric
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

With a sharp knife, remove the leaves from the cabbage head, in a V pattern, cut away the thick centre stalks of the leaves and discard or save for soup making
Stack the leaves in a colander and set aside
Heat oil in a large heavy bottomed saucepan or dutch oven
Add the onion and cook for about 3 minutes to soften, remove to a plate
Add the meat, more oil if needed, and braise the meat over medium heat until all well browned – add a little water if it starts to stick
Return the onions to the pan
Add the stock and the cayenne pepper and bring to a boil
Allow to simmer, covered for 20 minutes
Add the cabbage, the potatoes, the sugar and the turmeric
Check there is enough liquid, if not, add more stock
Cover and simmer for another 30 minutes, stirring occasionally and checking liquid level, until meat is tender and potatoes are cooked (you do not want it to dry out)
Stir well, season to taste and serve immediately with rice
Enjoy!

Tomato Bredie

Tags

bredie, Lamb, mutton, rainbow nation, south african, spices, stew, tomato, traditional food

A bredie is a type of stew, slowly simmered for several hours and its seasonings include cinnamon, cardamon, ginger, cloves as well as chilli. The type of vegetable used gives it its name, so tomato bredie would be a tomato stew, but it would include a meat as well, in this case, usually lamb. A few common ones are: green pea bredie, green bean bredie, cabbage and sweet turnip, waterblommetjie (Cape water lilly), carrot and turnip, brown lentil, pumpkin and many others. Bredies are eaten as everyday family meals with a variety of ingredients used and always deliciously spiced. It is actually of Dutch origin. Bredie is the Afrikaans word for stew, but it is a word of Malaysian origin. This form of cooking was first introduced to the Cape by Malays, who were brought to the then colony in most cases as slaves. The word bredie referred to oriental spinach originally.
Do not be put off by the seemingly long list of ingredients, most are spices.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 kg / 2 pounds lamb or mutton, cubed
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 onions, diced
5 garlic cloves, crushed
1 carrot, finely diced
2 sticks celery, finely sliced
1 leek, finely diced (optional)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
400 ml / 1 1/5 cups dry white wine
2 cans of tomatoes (410 g / 14 oz each)
2 bay leaves
A few fresh parsley sprigs
1 sprig thyme
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
6 cloves
6 cardamon pods
1 stick of cinnamon
500 ml / 2 cups lamb or beef stock
8 to 10 new potatoes, peeled
1 to 2 tablespoons brandy
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

Season the lamb with salt and pepper
Heat the oil in a large, heavy bottomed casserole or dutch oven over medium high heat
Brown the meat in batches and set aside
Sauté the onions, garlic, carrot, celery and leek over low heat until the onions are soft
Add the tomato paste
Pour in the wine and the canned tomatoes
Bring to the boil and add meat
Tie the thyme, bay leaves and parsley together to make a bouquet garni and add to the pot
Add the cumin, coriander, chilli, sugar and smoked paprika
Tie the rest of the spices (cloves, cardamon and cinnamon) in a piece of cheesecloth and add to the dish
Pour in the stock, reduce the heat to low and simmer until the sauce has thickened and the lamb is tender – 2 to 3 hours
Skim any fat off the surface
Add the potatoes and cook another 20 minutes or so, until soft
Add the brandy
Taste for seasonings
Serve with rice and a glass of good South African Merlot
Enjoy!