Ingredients

• 800g diced lamb (leg, preferably)
• 2 onions
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely chopped
• 2 large cloves of garlic, crushed and chopped
• 40g raw, unsalted cashew nuts
• dried red chillis - to taste
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 green cardamom pod
• 2 cloves
• ½ tsp saffron strands
• 2 tbsp boiling water
• 20g ghee
• oil
• salt
• 125g plain yoghurt
• fresh coriander to serve

Instructions

1. Begin by making a curry paste.
2. Roughly chop one of the onions and place in a food processor with the ginger, garlic, cashew nuts and chillis. Add 125mL water and process to a smooth paste. Add the spices (if you have ground cardamom and cloves, use ¼ tsp of each, but I used the whole spices and the flavour was fine) and process until everything well combined.
3. Put the saffron in a small bowl with the boiling water and set aside.
4. Heat the ghee and some oil in a large heavy bottomed saucepan. Finely slice the remaining onion and cook until soft and golden. Add the spice mixture and cook, stirring, until the oil starts to separate out.
5. Add a little water and salt and cook until the liquid has evaporated and then add the lamb. Stir thoroughly to ensure the lamb is well coated with the spice mix.
6. Stir through the saffron (crush the strands against the sides of the bowl as you pour it in) and then add the yoghurt.
7. Ensure the heat is low, cover and leave to simmer for at least an hour - until the lamb is tender. Make sure that the mixture doesn't boil and give it a stir every now and then.
8. When you're ready to serve, stir through some coriander, leaving some aside for decoration. Serve with rice (and perhaps some hot lime pickle).

Ingredients

• 700g diced lamb
• 500g onions
• 3 large cloves garlic
• chunk of fresh ginger, peeled
• ~ 30g plain yoghurt
• 1 heaped tsp chilli flakes (or substitute chilli powder - but always to taste)
• half a packet of coriander, roots included
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• ghee
• oil
• 4 cardamom pods
• ½ tsp garam masala

Instructions

1. Heat some oil and ghee in a heavy based pan that has a lid.
2. Finely slice half the onions and cook until golden. Then set aside.
3. While cooking the onions, roughly chop the remaining onions and put in a food processor with the garlic, chopped ginger, yoghurt, chilli, fresh and ground coriander and cumin seeds. Process until smooth.
4. Once the sliced onions have been browned, add the chopped lamb to the pan and brown. You may need to do this in batches. Set the meat aside.
5. Add a little more ghee to the pan and then add the onion and spice mix. Cook, stirring frequently, until it darkens in colour and oil starts to appear at the edges. Be patient.
6. Return the meat to the pan, add the cardamom and stir well. Turn the heat down to low, cover and cook slowly until the lamb is tender. Allow at least a couple of hours.
7. When ready to serve, stir through the sliced fried onions and garam masala. Cook for a further fifteen minutes and then serve with rice (or naan).