Quick Lamb and Kumara Curry

, from Issue #30. September, 2015
Photography by Aaron McLean.
Quick Lamb and Kumara Curry

The key to using lamb leg steaks in a quick cooking recipe such as this is to remove all the fat and sinew and slice the meat very thinly across the grain. Any large pieces of meat will be tough and chewy. It is also essential to keep the temperature high during cooking or the meat will release its juices and start to stew.

Serves: 4-6

INGREDIENTS

800 grams boneless lamb leg steaks
vegetable oil
2 medium vine tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
500 grams kumara, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon each ground turmeric, garam masala and cumin
1 cup coconut cream
1 cup chicken stock
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

To serve
2 handfuls baby spinach
thick, plain yoghurt
mango chutney
pappadums
hot, cooked basmati rice or warm Indian flat-breads

METHOD

Trim the lamb of all fat and sinew and slice very thinly across the grain. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok until hot. Add the lamb in 2-3 batches and cook for 2 minutes, removing with a slotted spoon to a dish as it cooks. Add a little more oil to the wok between batches.

Add the tomatoes, onion, garlic, kumara and all the spices. Cook for 5 minutes, adding a splash of water if necessary, then stir in the coconut cream and stock. Partially cover and cook until the kumara is tender.

Stir in the spinach, turning to wilt. Add the lamb with any meat resting juices back to the wok and combine. Spoon into serving bowls and serve with yoghurt, chutney, pappadums and rice.