INDIAN & SRI LANKAN, MAINS
COCONUT LAMB SAAG
This classic curry is one of my favourite Indian dishes. Whilst the Paneer version is a mainstay on many a menu, Lamb Saag, or Saag Gosht, has always been my favourite. The strong, irony taste of spinach is a wonderful foil to rich lamb and along with the heady, aromatic spices, this dish is a wonder.
Some recipes simply wilt the leaves in with lamb, I have always found the bright green, pureed gravies more appealing – in this recipe, we blend spinach with coconut milk to create a velvety, bright green curry, enriched with the added depth of coconut.
Though the cooking time is lengthy, it’s largely hands-off and the delicate, tender lamb more than makes up for it. Try it yourself, you may reconsider your next takeaway!
Ingredients
THE LAMB
500g Lamb Shoulder, cut into 4cm chunks
Juice of 1 Lime,
200ml Coconut Milk,
200ml Water,
4 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 Large Onion, finely diced
1 Green Chilli, finely diced
30g Ginger, finely diced
1 tsp. Chilli Powder,
1 tsp. Ground Coriander,
1 tsp. Ground Cumin,
1 tsp. Fenugreek Seeds, ground
2 tsp. Garam Masala,
4 Cardamom Pods, bruised
Generous Pinch of Salt & Pepper
THE SPINACH GRAVY
200g Baby Spinach Leaves,
200ml Coconut Milk,
Generous Pinch of Salt & Pepper
TO COOK
Groundnut Oil or Coconut Oil
TO GARNISH
Ginger, julienned
Red Chilli, finely sliced
Coriander Leaves, a handful
TO SERVE
Basmati Rice,
Roti
METHOD
MARINATING THE LAMB
- Season the diced lamb generously with salt, pepper and the garam masala, making sure that the Lamb is evenly coated in seasoning. Place the Lamb into a bowl or zip-lock bag and add the lime juice and 200ml of coconut milk, ensuring the Lamb pieces are evenly and entirely coated in the marinade.
TIP – Re-sealable zip-lock bags work extremely well for this and will allow the lamb to be more easily manipulated and coated in the marinade.
- Leave the Lamb to marinate for between 1-24 hours. Overnight will yield best results.
THE SPINACH GRAVY
- Into a blender or the cup of an immersion blender, place the spinach and 200ml of coconut milk with a generous pinch of salt. Blitz together until you achieve a smooth, bright green puree. Set aside until needed.
TIP – I usually prepare the spinach gravy in the last 20 minutes or so whilst the lamb is cooking.
COOKING THE LAMB
- Remove the Lamb from the fridge about 15 minutes before cooking.
- Place a large pan over medium heat with a lug of groundnut oil or spoonful of coconut oil. Add in the onion, ginger and chilli into the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes until just starting to colour. Add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Include the remaining ground spices into the pan along with the cardamom pods and cook off for a couple of minutes until fragrant.
TIP – You may want to add another splash of oil or coconut milk to the pan to help the spices cook if the pan seems too dry.
- Add the lamb along with all of the marinade into the pan and top up with 200ml water, mixing together. Reduce the heat and bring the pan to a gentle simmer, cover the pan and leave to cook for an hour and 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure nothing is catching at the bottom.
- After an hour and 15 minutes, remove the lid from the pan and leave to cook uncovered for 30 minutes until the liquid in the pan is almost entirely reduced and the lamb is tender. Make sure to stir the lamb frequently to prevent anything from catching.
- Insert the spinach gravy to the pan and mix together thoroughly. Cook for a further 15 minutes, allowing the spinach to infuse with the spices. Stir occasionally to prevent anything from catching.
TIP – You can leave this to cook for as long as you want, the flavour will only deepen and the lamb will become even more tender – the colour from the spinach will dull, however.
- Top the curry with a few slices of red chilli, a handful of coriander leaves and a few ginger battens. Serve immediately with rice and some warm roti.
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