Rajasthani style lamb curry

About the food:

This is a traditional Rajasthani dish ( from the Indian state of Rajasthan), which I picked up from a TV- show on Travel & living channel. This dish does not use the traditional turmeric powder, but is with yogurt and cream, thus giving a delicious white & milky look. I am not at all a fan of lamb, goat or any kind of red meats, their smell is extremely strong for me. But ever since I saw this recipe, I thought I have got to do it.

In this recipe I have used de-boned lamb joints. To tell the truth, this is my first ever cooking experience with a lamb, and I was extremely nervous. I was not sure how strong the smell would be, and whether even I would be able to taste it. But at the end of the toil, I was extremely happy that it came up very well, and the smell was not strong at all!

Preparation time:1 1/2 hrs
Cooking time:1 hr

Ingredients: (serves 4)

500 gms lamb, de-boned and chopped into small cubes
5 tbsp lemon juice
1 cup natural yogurt
1 cup double cream
ghee
salt to taste
Whole garam masala ( 3 cardamom, 3 cloves, 1/2 inch cinnamom)
3-4 whole red chilli, broken in 2-3 pieces
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp kewra water
1 tbsp pistachio nut, broken in pieces
4 onions, made in quarters
2 tbsp garlic paste
3 tbsp ginger paste

For the masala:

1/2 nutmeg
1 mace flower
6 cardamom
6 cloves
1 inch cinnamon


Method:

1. Wash the meat and drain. Marinate with the lemon juice and keep in the fridge for about 1 hr.

2. Dry roast the masala in a pan. Grind them into a fine powder and keep airtight.

3.Boil the onions for 3 mins. This will make the onions look pale and white, as appropriate for the dish, as well as make it soft, and smell less strong. Drain them and make a paste in a mixer. reserve.

3. Heat 3 tbsp ghee in a pan. For healthy reason I used vegetable oil, but put 1 tbsp of ghee to it for the flavour. It is up to you what you would want. Add the whole garam masala, bay leaves and the red chillies. Let them crackle. Add the onion paste and stir on a medium flame for 2-3 mins. Add the ginger and the garlic and continue to stir. after 3 mins, add the lamb and stir well with the ingredients. Add salt to taste. Continue cooking over medium flame stirring every now and then until the oil separates out. This takes time: about 15 minutes, if not more, Just be patient.

4. When the oil separates, add the yogurt, one spoonful at a time, and mixing well. Otherwise it might cuddle. Add 2 tbsp of the powder masala and mix well. Add the kewra water. Cover and continue cooking over a low flame until the meat is cooked. Take care that the food does not stick to the base of the pan or burn. This is the longest phase, taking more than 30 mins. You might add a little water if the gravy dries up.

5. When the meat is cooked, add the cream and swirl through.Cover and let it boil. Try to keep the white colour of the cream, which gives it an enchanting look.

6. Garnish with the pistachio nuts and serve.

Accompaniment: Paratha/ any Indian bread/ Basmati rice