LAMB SHANK MADRAS CURRY THE BEST I HAVE EVER MADE

FINALLY YES! A GOLD MEDAL WINNING CURRY RECIPE THAT LOVES ME AND MY COOKING METHODS, THIS IS SO AWESOME I WANT TO COOK IT AGAIN IMMEDIATELY AND THEN START TO PRACTISE MAKING THIS A BASE RECIPE FOR MY OTHER FAVOURITE CURRIES, ROGAN JOSH AND DANSAK

INGREDIENTS

(serves 4)

FOR THE MADRAS SPICE CURRY POWDER

(you can buy this powder already ground but I urge you to make the powder as it is more fragrant)

2 tbsp coriander seeds

2 tbsp fenugreek seeds

1 tbsp mustard seeds

1 tbsp ground turmeric

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp black peppercorns

5 whole cloves

Place all the whole spices in a coffee grinder if you have one, the coffee grinder gives a finer powder but I don't have one yet so I used a pestle and mortar and my husband's muscles!!!  Most the spices ground easily to a powder but the fenugreek seeds only ground down a little no matter how hard my big muscle man tried.  The fenugreek seeds did cook down in the sauce so it turned out not to be a issue after all.  (I don't think I am going to tell him that after 20 minute of constant spice grinding!!!)  All for the love of cooking !

FOR THE LAMB MADRAS SAUCE

4 lamb shanks or 6 lamb shoulder shanks

2-3 tbsp ghee

1 stick of cinnamon or bark

4 cloves garlic peeled

1 hot red chilli de-seeded

2" ginger peeled

2 onions peeled

12 curry leaves (fresh if your lucky enough to find them)

5 cardamom pods slightly crushed

2 bay leaves fresh if you can

300g beef stock

2 tsp tamarind paste

1 tin chopped tomatoes

salt and pepper

1 tbsp chopped coriander to garnish

Heat the2 tbsp of ghee in a deep pan and sear the lamb shanks until golden browned all over, remove and leave to rest on a plate.  In a blender pulse the onion, garlic, chilli and ginger until very finely chopped, add to the pan, if you need a little more ghee add now and cook for 5 minutes or so until the onions are softened but not coloured, add 2 heaped tbsp of your curry powder along with the curry leaves, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, cardamom, tamarind, salt, pepper, beef stock and tomatoes, bring to a simmer and add the lamb shanks and any resting juices, place on the lid and pop in the oven 150 degrees for approx. 2-3 hours until the lamb is so tender if wants to fall off the bone and the gorgeous sauce has reduced and is now has a beautiful bouquet of flavour that is making you want to just dive in there and then!  Serve with some home made chapatis breads and gorgeous fluffy rice.

PERFECT FLUFFY EASY COOK RICE

For the easiest most gorgeous fluffy rice, for two portions take 1 coffee mug of rice and two of the same mug of water, place in a pan with a lid and bring to a simmer, cook for eight minutes without touching or stirring, take off the lid and add a knob of butter, remove from the heat and do not stir of touch, leave to rest for ten minutes and now you will have perfect fluffy rice ready to serve, fluff up with a fork and serve.

FOR THE CHAPATIS

(makes 6)

This is a really quick and simple 30 assembly second recipe well worth doing.

INGREDIENTS

165g chapati flour

(wholemeal if you cant find this)

3/4 tsp salt

115ml water

1 tsp oil

Mix all the ingredients together to a loose ball and leave to rest for 10 minutes, then take the dough ball, pull off golf ball sizes of dough and roll out to a very thin disk, in a dry non stick pan, dry fry the chapati for approx one minute until it puffs up and chars a little turn and repeat.

Serve this most wonderful bone stock slow cooked gorgeous madras curry with some simple plain fluffy rice and the gorgeous chapatis to fold this curry in and mop up the sauce, just brilliant.