Once again Hector tries a media based Curry recipe, this time a Mutton Handi posted on – Nadia’s Foody Friends. As with last week’s disappointing Lamb Masala, the attraction was the honest, partial cooking of the Lamb before adding the Spices. That the Onions and Tomatoes went straight in with the Meat was also quite a departure from making a Masala separately, or otherwise. Furthermore, the method recommended the use of cooking in a ceramic pot.
Hector acquired a Römertopf decades ago, problem was, everything came out tasting the same. The clay pot was duly dumped. Sometime later, an impulsive TK-Maxx purchase saw a glazed Le Creuset ceramic stew pot end up in Hector’s House. This has sat unused for yonks. Would it survive cooking on a gas hob? A quick test suggested it would, no loss if disaster struck. You know what’s coming.
As with the Lamb Masala, the video and the online recipe did not match. Curry without Cardamom, Cumin Seeds, Cinnamon and Methi, again? We shall see. Here is a précis of the recipe:
Add lamb, onions, tomato to pot, cover with water, cook.
Add salt, turmeric, cook.
Add ginger garlic, cook.
Add red chilli, coriander powder, cumin, cook.
Add oil, cook.
Add green chillies, cook, cook, cook.
Add yoghurt, cook,
Add garam masala, cook.
Add coriander and ginger strips, cook.
Serve.
I was using the full recipe for the Masala but with 500g of Lamb, only half of the meat. All this Water at the start, and only two tablespoons of Oil once the Onions and Tomatoes had turned to a Mash.
That powdered Cumin and Coriander were called for was a cue to use the Jeera Masala made last week. Fry – was the online recipe instruction. Two tablespoons of Oil? I added three then did my damnedest to boil off the excess moisture.
There was a loud crack! Le Creuset no more! Hector rescued the dinner, Marg cleaned up the mess. So it goes.
As the Yoghurt went in I had quite an impressive looking Masala. I didn’t sample the Masala until the final ingredients had been cooked. There was a definite – kick – this would test Marg. Otherwise, it was OK, a Flavour boost was required. The slight Creaminess put my recipe for Lamb Desi Korma in mind once more. Well, this is in effect what Amar (Taj Dumbarton) had cooked for me last week.
Citrus would add something extra, and more Seasoning. I quartered a Lime, squeezed in the juice and added the rind. I added some Mushrooms to the cooling Curry and left it overnight.
This morning I defrosted the remaining Spicy Rice cooked some weeks back. Even if the Lamb Handi remained bland, the Rice would add the missing ingredients – herein lay Clove, Cinnamon and Cardamom.
Fry. I have watched Aqeel at DumPukht Lahori (is it still in business?) take his Curry from the fridge and fry it it up, adding Garam Masala to create a Karahi.
I heated Oil and Ghee in the wok then carefully added the Lamb Handi to create a sizzling brew.
Some pre-boiled Potatoes and pre-soaked Methi were stirred in.
Basaar! This was surely an opperchancity to use some more of this recently purchased Curry Powder. I must admit, the results looked amazing, however, it’s all in the taste. Hopefully, this creation would at least be something different from the usual Hector-cooked Curry.
Lamb Handi – Karahi
The thick Masala had a distinctive Creaminess which was not overdone. Despite the added Oil, there was no slick forming in the karahi after serving. Why would you cook a Curry without adequate Oil anyway? The Mushrooms clearly had been overcooked to the point where they were indistinguishable from their surroundings. The Potatoes were al dente, it’s just as well I went for the full bhuna.
The Spice hit the back of the throat, it wasn’t OTT, but enough to make Marg beware.
The planned Citrus blast came over, cooking an Achari remains long overdue. There was a sufficiency about the Herb content, maybe more Methi, but then I was trying not to recreate the usual Hector Curry. The Lamb was decidedly a success, Tender, on the edge of pulping, so little chewing was required.
This was significantly better than last week’s Lamb Masala, however, the ace up Hector’s sleeve won the the day. The Spicy Rice, whose Chickpeas added a further diversity of Texture, also supplied the – missing – Flavours.
This was a meal.
Now for the – truth:
A lovely dish with tender lamb and plenty spice. It was a bit zesty. I thoroughly enjoyed the Spicy Rice which helped to calm the overall meal.