Our freezer was getting a bit too full for comfort, so I felt pressured to clear it. I found some lamb leg meat stashed in a corner of the freezer, so I started looking around for recipe ideas for it. At first I considered making some fancy Middle Eastern or Indian rice dish, but in the end I opted to make lamb curry, a standard lauk to have together with plain white rice.
I found an interesting recipe by Kak Yan, which looks pretty straightforward and uses pretty common ingredients I already have in my fridge or pantry. Hers was with beef, but I knew it would work just fine with lamb. I prefer browning my meats first when making curries or similar dishes, so I did just that with my lamb meat. In addition to the wonderful flavor boost from the brown bits, this step also renders quite a bit of fat, which is then used for sauteeing the spices and aromatics. I used coconut milk in my curry, however this is actually an optional step, so feel free to omit if preferred.
The result was excellent. The tang of the tamarind really balances out the richness of the lamb and coconut milk, and the dish wasn’t gamey at all. Serve this lamb curry with steaming hot white rice and, if available, some crispy fried salted fish. The combination will be spectacular. Yum!
Step by Step
Heat a large skillet or heavy bottomed pot over medium high heat. When the pot is hot, sear the lamb pieces until browned, 1 to 2 minutes per side. The meat will render some fat over time. Remove the meat from the pot and set aside.
In the same pot over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the cinnamon, star anise and cloves. Cook, stirring frequently, until spices are toasted and fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the onions, green chilies, garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until onions are soft and slightly browned on the edges, 3 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and continue cooking, stirring, until soft and mushy, a few more minutes.
When the vegetables are soft and mushy, add the chili boh and sugar. Cook, stirring constantly, until the chili paste is thoroughly incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the meat curry powder and stir to combine. Continue stirring for a few minutes until the aroma of the spices become fragrant.
Return the meat to the pot, and stir until completely coated in the mixture.
Add 2 cups of water, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil and simmer covered, stirring occasionaly, 15 minutes.
After simmering for 15 minutes, add the potatoes, making sure the pieces are properly submerged within the gravy. Cover and continue simmering, until the meat and potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
When the potatoes are tender, add the coconut milk, and stir to combine. Simmer for another 5 minutes. Rinse off any coconut milk residue from the carton or can with ¼ cup water, and add into the pot.
In a small bowl, add the tamarind paste and remaining ¼ cup water, and mix well. Add the mixture to the pot.
Add the beef stock cube, salt and seasoning powder. Adjust seasonings to taste.
Garnish with the chopped cilantro. Serve hot with steaming white rice or flatbread.
Lamb Curry
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup cooking oil about 5 tablespoons
- 1 kilogram boneless lamb OR mutton leg cut into ½-inch, bit-sized slices
- 1 stick cinnamon
- 2 pieces star anise
- ½ teaspoon cloves
- 2 red onions chopped
- 3 green chillies roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 inches fresh ginger cut into thin planks
- 1 handful curry leaves picked from stems
- 2 tomatoes chopped
- 3 tablespoons chili boh see note
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 4 tablespoons meat curry powder
- 2 ½ cups water
- 2 large potatoes cut into 1 ½-inch chunks
- 200 ml coconut milk
- ½ tablespoon tamarind paste
- 1 beef stock cube
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon all-in-one seasoning powder e.g. Cukup Rasa
- Cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium high heat, heat the oil.
- When the pot is hot, sear the lamb pieces until browned, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove the meat from the pot and set aside.
- In the same pot over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the cinnamon, star anise and cloves. Cook, stirring frequently, until spices are toasted and fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the onions, green chilies, garlic, ginger, and curry leaves and cook, stirring, until onions are soft and slightly browned on the edges, 3 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and continue cooking, stirring, until soft and mushy, a few more minutes.
- When the vegetables are soft and mushy, add the chili boh and sugar. Cook, stirring constantly, until the chili paste is thoroughly incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the meat curry powder and stir to combine. Continue stirring for a few minutes until the aroma of the spices become fragrant.
- Return the meat to the pot, and stir until completely coated in the mixture.
- Add 2 cups of water, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil and simmer covered, stirring occasionaly, 15 minutes.
- After simmering for 15 minutes, add the potatoes, making sure the pieces are properly submerged within the gravy. Cover and continue simmering, until the meat and potatoes are tender, 20 minutes.
- When the potatoes are tender, add the coconut milk, and stir to combine. Simmer for another 5 minutes. Rinse off any coconut milk residue from the carton or can with ¼ cup water, and add into the pot.
- In a small bowl, add the tamarind paste and remaining ¼ cup water, and mix well. Add the mixture to the pot.
- Add the beef stock cube, salt and seasoning powder. Adjust seasonings to taste.
- Garnish with the chopped cilantro. Serve hot with steaming white rice or flatbread.
Notes
- Cili boh is a red chili paste very commonly used in Malaysian and Singaporean cuisine. Dried chilies are boiled then blended into a fine paste, and typically some oil and salt is added to act as a preservative.
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