Gosht Masala (Lamb Curry).

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

I'm back today after a busy few days with one of my mothers classic recipes. 




This is her Gosht Masala or Lamb Curry. We usually use lamb that is on the bone as this gives more flavour. I was very surprised at how easy this recipe is, and with all this Saharan dust around, what better excuse than to stay indoors and cook a curry?
 There is no endless chopping or anything - it's just into the pot and left to simmer for an hour or so. Serve this delicious curry with roti or naan.

A Simple List of Ingredients:

1. Onions
2. Vegetable Oil
3. Lamb Chops
4. Lamb Shoulder Pieces
5. Black Cardamoms
6. Black Peppercorns
7. Cinnamon Sticks
8. Cloves
9. Red Chilli Powder
10. Ground Coriander
11. Ground Cumin
12. Ground Turmeric
13. Salt
14. Ginger
15. Garlic
16. Chopped Tomatoes Tin
17. Green Chillies
18. Fresh Coriander
19. Garam Masala

Bismillah, let's begin!

Get yourself 2 Large Onions. Peel and roughly chop them - the rougher, the better!

Heat 1/4 cup Vegetable Oil in a large saucepan. Mum used a pressure cooker but any big saucepan will do.

Throw in the onions. I told you to roughly chop them!

Stir fry for a few minutes until they begin to sizzle.

Cover the pan with a lid and leave on a low heat.

While the onions soften, gather your whole spices:
5 Black Cardamoms
2 teaspoons Black Peppercorns
5 Cinnamon Sticks
2 teaspoons Cloves
Feel free to reduce the whole spices, if you're not a fan of them.

And, prepare your meat. Take 1 pound Lamb Chops and 1 pound Lamb Shoulder Pieces.

Check on the onions - they should be softened by now.

Throw in the whole spices.

Stir fry for a few minutes.

Put all the lamb in.

Fry for a few minutes.

Next, take a tin of Chopped Tomatoes.

Add half of the tin to the pan. Use the other half for something else.

Fill the empty tin half full with Water, and add it in.

Next, to turn this thing into a curry - the spices! Add in: 
2 teaspoons Red Chilli Powder
2 teaspoons Ground Cumin
2 teaspoons Ground Coriander
1 and 1/2 teaspoons Salt
1/2 teaspoon Ground Turmeric. 
Mum also added in the ginger and garlic as well - she used frozen but you can use fresh as well!
Frozen - 1 cube Ginger and 1 cube Garlic
or
Fresh - 1 tablespoon Crushed Ginger and 8 Garlic Cloves, whole.

Give everything a good stir. Now, at this time, you may be thinking what I was thinking - how can this mess of lamb, onions and spices become a curry?

Well, the magic happens here while the pot is covered on a low heat and simmering away until the lamb is beautifully tender - about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

After this time, uncover and give the lamb a taste test. If it's still not tender enough, allow it to cook for another few minutes.

Once the lamb is tender, take 5 Green Chillies. We used jalapeno but any variety will do.

Add them to the pan.

Along with a little more Vegetable Oil.

Now begins the drying out stage. Keep the curry on a medium heat to dry it out, stirring quite frequently in case it sticks to the bottom.

When you have reached the consistency that you like .. 

.. add in Handful Chopped Fresh Coriander. Mum freezes hers.

Finally, sprinkle in 1 teaspoon Garam Masala, and give it one final stir.

Serve with roti or naan for a delicious Punjabi meal! This was not cereal, dessert or soup but it was out of this world amazing!

Full Written Recipe:

Gosht Masala (Lamb Curry)

Ingredients

2 Large Onions, peeled and roughly chopped

¼ cup Vegetable Oil

1 pound Lamb Chops

1 pound Lamb Shoulder Pieces

5 Black Cardamoms

2 teaspoons Black Peppercorns

5 Cinnamon Sticks

2 teaspoons Cloves

2 teaspoons Red Chilli Powder

2 teaspoons Ground Coriander

2 teaspoons Ground Cumin

1 ½ teaspoons Salt

½ teaspoons Ground Turmeric

1 tablespoon Crushed Ginger

8 Garlic Cloves, whole

½ tin Chopped Tomatoes

5 Green Chillies

Handful Fresh Coriander, chopped

1 teaspoon Garam Masala

Method

Heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan. Once hot, add the chopped onions. Fry for a few minutes and then cover on a low heat.

Wash and prepare the lamb.

Uncover the onions, and add in the black cardamoms, cinnamon sticks, cloves and peppercorns. Stir fry for a few more minutes.

Add in the lamb and stir well. Fry for a few minutes, and then add the chopped tomatoes and the ½ tin of water.

Stir well and add the red chilli powder, ground coriander, ground cumin, salt, ground turmeric, ginger and garlic. Mix well and bring to the boil.

Once boiling, turn the heat right down and cover. Cook like that for about 45 minutes or until the lamb is tender – test a piece to see if it is!

Once the lamb is soft, uncover and throw in the green chillies.

Add a few more tablespoons of vegetable oil, and dry the curry out on a medium heat. Stir frequently to avoid it sticking to the bottom.

Once the curry has reached the consistency that you want, add in the fresh coriander and garam masala. Stir in, and serve!

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Keep me in your duas, please,

Wasalaam!