Spiced Lamb and Potato Stew from Flavour
“I absolutely love Massamun (meaning ‘Muslim’) curry – a recipe thought to have Persian roots, thanks to Persian traders bringing influences and ingredients of their own on their travels to South East Asia. While this recipe is not remotely like a Massamun curry, it does include many of the same comforting notes and flavours, and can easily be recreated at home and all in one pot. For me, the combination of sweet and spice works so well in curries and stews that I find it incredibly hard to resist. You can also substitute beef shin for the lamb if you like. I like to serve this with plain boiled rice or bread.” Sabrina Ghayour, author of Flavour
Serves 6
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 onions, halved and thinly sliced into half moons
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 black cardamom pods
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon chilli flakes
2 star anise
2 tablespoons caster sugar
2 tablespoons rose harissa
800g boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 2.5cm cubes
6 fat garlic cloves, peeled and kept whole
500g baby new potatoes
400ml can coconut milk
2 handfuls of salted peanuts
Maldon sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
Plain boiled rice or bread to serve
Place a large saucepan over a medium-high heat, add the vegetable oil and fry the onions until soft and beginning to brown. Add all the spices, sugar and rose harissa and mix really well until evenly combined. Cook for a few minutes, stirring regularly to prevent burning.
Add the lamb and garlic cloves along with a generous amount of salt and pepper and turn to coat the meat in the onion and spice mixture, then cook for a few minutes. Pour over enough boiling water to almost cover the ingredients, stir the contents of the pan again and reduce to a medium heat. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 2 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
Remove the lid, stir again and mix in the potatoes and coconut milk, then cook, uncovered, for a further hour. Check the amount of liquid and add a little more water if needed (it should be a rich sauce, but not watery), taste and adjust the seasoning if desired, then serve with the peanuts scattered on top. Serve with rice or bread. This needs no accompaniment.
