Creamy Lamb & Chickpea Curry

Tue, 1 September 2020

Creamy Lamb & Chickpea Curry
(Serves 6)

I simply love a curry but it is so difficult to get a good one. This recipe is delicious and creamy and is ideal for al your family and friends. I like to serve this with freshly boiled basmati rice. As with all curries this is perhaps even better on the second day.

1 ½ lb/700g diced stewing lamb
3 cloves of garlic-diced
1 red chilli-finely diced
1 medium sized onion-sliced very thinly
1 teaspoon of tomato puree
2 dessertspoon of mild curry powder
1 rounded dessertspoon flour
½ teaspoon of turmeric
½ teaspoon of ground cumin
Pinch ground ginger
7floz/200ml pouring cream/coconut milk
18floz/500ml boiling hot chicken stock
Seasoning
8oz/225g Vegetables of your choice-if you wish to use them
1 tin chickpeas-drained and washed

Prepare the vegetables (if you are using them) at this time also. You can use most vegetables-I normally use mixed peppers, carrots, mushrooms, maunge tout etc.
Preheat a medium saucepan and add to it a little oil. Not too much-just enough to stop things from sticking.

Add in the diced lamb and cook for a couple of minutes until it is sealed all over. At this stage season lightly with a little salt and pepper.
Next add in the sliced onions, diced garlic and chilli (and mixed vegetables if you are using them) and allow them to cook quite gently until they are softened and glazed with the meat juices. This stage should take about 4-5 minutes.

Now is the ideal time to add in the tomato puree and allow this to coat the meat-this will give the curry a developed taste and flavour as well as helping with the formation of colour.

Next add in the curry powder together with the flour, turmeric, cumin & ginger and allow them to coat all of the contents of the pot and to dry up any juices. You will get a wonderfully fragrant aroma in the kitchen at this stage. The stock can go in now and allow this mixture to come to the boil at which stage you can add in the pouring cream or coconut milk and again allow it to re-boil. I normally reduce the heat at this stage and allow the curry to cook gently for 1 hour 30 minutes. It is important to let it cook for a while to cook out the “gritty” taste of the curry powder. About 20 minutes before the curry is ready add in the chickpeas.

Taste and season as is required. Serve the curry steaming hot with some freshly boiled basmati rice and some naan bread if required.
The perfect accompaniment is a cool beer.