LAMB MADRAS TO DHANSAK CURRY THE BEST I HAVE EVER MADE AGAIN!

 FINALLY YES!  I HAVE ANOTHER GOLD MEDAL WINNING CURRY RECIPE THAT STILL LOVES ME AND MY COOKING METHODS.

Wow Wow Wow so pleased with my best ever Madras curry being tweeked in to a Dhansak, sweet sour hot and full of gorgeous sumptuous lamb flavoured curry spices, this is again one of my top favourites a winner dinner, happy happy happy.  Quick and easy to cook, a few minutes to get the curry set up and then just let all the ingredients do their work low and slow for a few hours creating another one of the best curries I have ever cooked and eaten.

INGREDIENTS

(serves 4)

MADRAS CURRY SPICES

You can buy this curry powder already ground but I urge you to make your own as it truly does make a huge difference to your curry flavour, it only takes a few minutes and makes a batch of four.

WHOLE SPICES

1 tbsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp black peppercorns

2 tbsp coriander seeds

1 tbsp fenugreek seeds

1 tbsp mustard seeds

5 whole cloves

GROUND SPICES

1/2 tsp hot chilli

1/2 tsp ginger

1 tbsp ground turmeric

1 flat tsp garam masala

Place all of the whole spices in a coffee grinder or pestle and mortar, a coffee grinder is easier and grind the spices until you have a fine powder, I found the fenugreek seeds did not grind down as fine as the rest of the spices, but they did cook out in the sauce.  This recipe will give you three to four portions of curry powder, store any left over curry spice in a air tight glass jar, storing in the fridge keeps the spices fresher.

LAMB  MADRAS DHANSAK

4 lamb shanks or 8 lamb shoulder shanks

3 tbsp ghee

1 stick of cinnamon or bark

2 bay leaves

4 cloves of garlic

1 hot chilli de-seeded

3" ginger

2 large onions finely chopped

2 carrots peeled

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

5 cardamon pods slightly crushed

1ltr beef bone stock

1 tin of chopped tomatoes

salt and black pepper

2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander to garnish

TO TRANSFORM IN TO DHANSAK CURRY

1 cup of chana dal (red lentils will do)

4 tsp tamarind paste

3-6 tbsp mango and stem ginger chutney

(recipe below)

Pre-heat your oven to 150 degrees, take a deep pan with a lid, leave the lid off, add two tbsp of ghee and heat to a medium hot heat sear the lamb shanks until golden brown all over, remove from the pan and leave to rest on the side, keep the pan on a low heat, the smell of these lamb shanks is just the start to a gorgeous dinner.

In a blender pulse the onion, garlic, chilli, carrots and the piece of ginger until very very finely chopped add to your pan with a little more ghee if needed and cook for five minutes or so until the onions are soft and translucent but not coloured, add two heaped tablespoons of your curry powder along with the curry leaves, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, cardamon pods, tamarind, mango and ginger chutney, beef stock, tomatoes, chana dal, a pinch of salt and black pepper, pop on the lid and place in your pre-heated oven for approx 2-3 hours until the lamb is so tender it wants to fall off the bone and the chana dal has soaked up all the gorgeous lamb juices and stock giving you a beautiful bounty of sweet sour hot fragrant dhansak curry.  Taste and season with more mango & ginger chutney, salt and pepper to your taste.  Serve with:

EASY SIMPLE FLUFFY RICE

Take two cups of rice and place in a saucepan, with the same cup add four cups of water to the saucepan, do not be tempted to stir, place a lid on the pan and bring up to a gentle simmer for eight minutes, lift the lid and add a knob of butter, do not be tempted to stir in, place the lid back on and take off the heat, leave to rest for ten minutes, fluff up with a fork before serving your perfectly cooked rice.

GORGEOUS FLAT BREADS

INGREDIENTS

500g 00 flour

15g yeast

10g salt

50ml olive oil

320g water

Place all the ingredients into a large bowl or mixer and knead or mix for five to seven minutes until the dough becomes elastic and springy, you will feel the change, cover with a tea towel and rest on the side for 1-2hrs or in the fridge for at least 8 hours.  When ready to cook just pull off a golf ball size of dough roll out to a approx 8 inch circle, pre heat a dry frying pan and when very hot place your flat bread and cook for approx 1 minute on each side, turning when the flat bread is all puffed up.

MANGO & STEM GINGER CHUTNEY

(Very quick and simple to make)

6 cups of chopped mango's

1 onion finely chopped

1/2 cup of golden raising

1 stem ginger chopped

1 tsp mustard seeds 

1/2 tsp dried crushed chillies

2 cups of jam sugar

1/2 cup of distilled white vinegar

1/2 cup of water

In a deep saucepan add the sugar, water and vinegar, bring to a rolling simmer and stir until all the sugar has dissolved, add the rest of the ingredients and simmer until you have a slightly thick syrupy consistency.  In a 180 degree oven warm a couple of clean jam jars and their lids for five minutes, remove and pour in the mango chutney, using a cloth to hold the hot jars screw on the lids and leave to cool on the side.  Store in the fridge once opened.