The very unsocial Lamb Korma

“Recipes are just descriptions of one person’s take on one moment in time. They’re not rules.”

— Mario Batali

We are not very social people. I don’t mean to say we are anti-social and don’t like people at all but we do not socialize a lot. We don’t do late night parties and gatherings and don’t eat out a lot either. Perth which we now call as home still feels unfamiliar and a lonely place, nothing here seems to be our own and somehow we find it hard to make friends and even harder to keep in touch with a handful of friends we do have.

Life has somehow brought us far away from everything that once was familiar to everything that is now different and somehow even more distant. However I guess one needs to be positive and count our blessings and be thankful for the few things we do have. Like some friends who do care and bother staying in touch.

So when we do entertain, which is not very often I do tend to plan in advance and make the effort to make something delicious that everyone enjoys and appreciates.  I always go out of my way to make sure my house, which I feel is a reflection of me and my state of my mind is sparkling clean and inviting and the food that I make is simple but special and makes my guests feel special and welcome.

And one of my very special dishes is this very easy and almost exotic “Lamb Korma”. To be honest this isn’t the most authentic recipe for “Lamb Korma” but it is the easiest to make. I guess we all adapt certain recipes to suit our tastes and I don’t overwhelm it with too many spices and masalas. The lamb cooks in soft mellow flavors and tastes almost ethereal, almost soft and melting with the Naan or the Rice that it is served with. The only 3 ingredients besides the spices in the Korma are Onion, Curd and Almonds and that’s it. You have something so delicious that it would become one of your go to recipes everytime you want to wow people.

Here is the recipe: (Cooking time 40 – 60 minutes, serves 2)

250 gm boneless dices lamb without fat

1 tbsp Curd/Yogurt/Dahi

¼ cup Almond meal or Almond flakes

2 large Onions finely sliced

2 Cardamoms

1 Cinnamon stick

2 Cloves

1 tbsp Ghee or Butter

1 tsp Caraway seeds (shahi jeera)

1 tsp freshly grated Ginger (Do not use bottled Ginger)

Salt to taste

1 ½ tsp Red Chilli powder (depending on your taste)

1 tsp Cumin powder

Some more Almond flakes for garnishing

Wash and pat dry the Lamb marinade it with the yogurt while you prepare the gravy.

Heat Ghee in a thick bottomed pan and add the Caraway seeds, Ginger, Cardamoms, Cloves  aand Cinnamon stick.

Once they start spluttering add the Onions and let them cook till translucent.  Now add the Lamb to this mixture and let it cook for 20 – 30 minutes till it is almost done.

Add ½ tbsp. of warm water in the almonds and make a paste. Now add the almond paste to the Lamb, add Salt and Red chilli & cumin powder, 1 cup of warm water and let the lamb cook completely.

When ready to serve garnish with Almond Flakes (you can also add some cream if you want it to be richer), serve hot with naan or fluffy Basmati rice.

 

 

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