Recipes: Lamb saag

Lamb saag

The definitive curry - keep this recipe a secret and noone will ever need to know how simple it is

  • 3 garlic cloves , peeled
  • A large thumb-sized piece of ginger , roughly chopped
  • 2-3 green chilli , roughly chopped
  • 1 large onion , roughly chopped
  • oil for frying
  • 750g lamb shoulder, fat trimmed off
  • 2 tsp coriander seeds , toasted and ground
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 2 cardamom pods , squashed with the blade of a knife
  • 4 large tomatoes , quartered
  • lamb stock, cube or concentrate, made up to 300ml
  • 200g spinach , washed and roughly chopped
  • 2 tsp cumin seeds , toasted and ground

Method

  1. Put the garlic, ginger, chillies and onion into a small food processor and whizz to a purée (or you could very finely chop everything).
  2. Heat a little oil in a large casserole. Brown the lamb all over and scoop out. Fry the spices in the same pan for a couple of minutes until fragrant then add the onion purée and cook for 2 minutes. Add the lamb, tomatoes and stock. Stir, cover and cook for 45 minutes.
  3. Stir in the spinach then cook for a further 45 minutes or until the lamb is meltingly tender. Scatter the coriander over. Serve with naan breads or basmati rice.

TryKnow-how

Buying whole spices means they will keep longer and toasting them releases more of the flavour. Crush them in a coffee grinder or pestle and mortar. Use more chilli if you like things hot or leave it out if you don't.

Per serving

393 kcalories, protein 42,4g, carbohydrate 12,2g, fat 19,7 g, saturated fat 7,8g, fibre 3,2g, salt 0,8 g