Moghlai Lamb with Spinach (Paalag Gosht)

I’m a huge fan of Madhur Jaffrey’s recipes, which combine great food with a rich appreciation of it’s cultural context. An understanding of the way in which food has developed over time adds an extra layer of authenticity, especially with a cuisine as steeped in tradition as that of India. Jaffrey delivers this context flawlessly, combining observations about a dish’s heritage with recollections about what it means to her.

This recipe is from Madhur Jaffrey’s Ultimate Curry Bible, a lofty but not unjustified claim for an authoritative source of information and recipes about the humble curry in all of it’s worldwide guises.

Mix 560g of boneless lamb shoulder with 4 teaspoons of finely grated ginger and 7 pulped cloves of garlic and leave to marinate for half an hour. I actually used mutton, on the bone this time, the bones adding a further complexity to the finished dish.

Slice a couple of onions finely and fry in a large pan until golden and crisp. Remove, drain and chop up.

Add the meat to the pan, with it’s marinade and half a teaspoon of turmeric, cayenne pepper to suit your need for heat and a teaspoon of salt. Cover and cook for ten minutes, stirring occasionally.

Next, add a tablespoon of yoghurt, stir in and gradually add three more tablespoons, or more if you like a creamier curry. Stir in 450g of fresh or frozen spinach and the fried onions, replace the lid and simmer for fifty minutes, or until tender. Mutton will take a bit longer than lamb.

This is a straightforward dish, easy to prepare and very tasty. It sits happily in the fridge, flavours improving overnight.

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