MADRAS CURRY AND MANGO CHUTNEY PASTY

OOOh to be back cooking what I love, I have made these for my husband, and I can not believe I did not eat one!!!  Outstandingly gorgeous, light crumbly butter pastry filled with slow braised lamb madras curry, and a hint of mango chutney, a real feel good touch to your picnic lunch.  These pasty's can be filled with anything you have left over, I made the curry for our dinner and these were a lovely left over bonus a few days later.

INGREDIENTS

(makes 15 small)

GORGEOUS LIGHT FLAKY BUTTER PASTRY

(makes 15 small/ 8 large)

450g plain flour

110g cold butter grated

100g cold lard grated

1 pinch salt

180ml cold water

LAMB MADRAS CURRY

15 minutes prep then 2hrs cooking in the oven

(serves 4 dinners and left overs for pasty's)

2kg large diced leg of lamb

2 large onions

2" ginger

1 red chilli

4 cloves garlic

3 tbsp ghee

3 tbsp curry powder (recipe below)

12 curry leaves

2 bay leaves

2 tsp tamarind paste

5 cardamon pods slightly crushed

1 stick cinnamon or bark

300ml beef bone stock

2 tins of tomatoes

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

1 pot mango chutney 

1 egg wash 

MADRAS CURRY POWDER

(makes 3 x more than you need, store in a glass jar)

2 tbsp fenugreek seeds

2 tbsp coriander seeds

1 tbsp mustard seeds

1 tbsp ground turmeric

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp peppercorns

5 whole cloves

Place all the spices in a coffee grinder and grind to a fine powder.

This is a really great madras curry my best ever recipe and really quick and simple to make, place the onions, chili, garlic and ginger in a food processor and blitz, using a deep roasting pan that can go in the oven, add the ghee and gently soften the onion mix for a few minutes, add the chunky diced lamb and seal a little then add the curry powder, cardamon, cinnamon, bay and curry leaves, tamarind, beef stock and tomatoes, that's it, cover with foil or your lid, place in the oven 170 degrees for a couple of hours to slowly braise and infuse, once the lamb is just falling apart take off the tin foil or lid and leave in the oven for another 20 minutes or so to thicken the sauce.  Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

TO MAKE THE PASTRY

Place the flour and salt in a large bowl, add the grated butter and lard, cut through with a knife to distribute evenly, add the water and mix in gently, don't over work the pastry, once almost combined bring together as a rough ball, push slightly flat and wrap in baking paper and chill in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes, this can be made the night before, bring out the pastry 30 minutes before you need to use it to relax. 

Roll out as thin as a two piece coin, this will give you a really light flaky crumbly pastry.  Cut approx 6" circles, brush egg wash around the edge of half of the circle, place a teaspoon of mango chutney in the centre of the circle then spoon a couple of generous tablespoons of your left over madras curry on top in the centre, bring the sides together and pinch to seal.  Place on your baking tray and brush with egg wash, repeat and bake at 190 degrees for around 25-30 minutes until gorgeously sumptuous and lovely.