ten hour curry

[snugglekitty]

Yesterday I made a mild lamb curry.



1.5 lbs stew lamb
1 onion
veggie stock
6 potatos
3 large carrots
1 butternut squash
4 small tomatos
1 can tomato paste
1 can coconut milk
5 oz fresh mushrooms

2 bay leaves
three cups fresh spinach
3 teaspoons mild curry powder


I started by browning the onion and lamb over medium high heat in a soup pot. When they were done, I poured in two cups of veggie stock to deglaze the pan. Then I turned the heat down to low. I added the bay leaves and curry powder. I peeled, cubed, and added the potatos, carrots, and squash. This was the initial curry. Because stew lamb takes a long time to cook, I then left it alone for three or four hours, uncovered so that it would thicken up.

I chopped the tomatoes and sliced the mushrooms. I tried to brown the tomato paste but it didn't work out.
So I went ahead and added the tomatos, tomato paste, coconut milk, mushrooms, and spinach. Subsequently I left it alone, uncovered this time, until I was ready to go to sleep. Then I checked the flavor (yummy!) and put it in the fridge in the pot. By this time the squash was totally broken down and had made it thick and creamy, and the lamb was really tender.



If I made this recipe again, I would include golden raisins - we wound up not having any in the house. I would also use some hot curry powder, since it came out a little bland. Still, this is much closer to what you would get in an Indian restaurant than my initial attempts were - my curries are getting better and better over the years.

I stopped by a local convenience store to get Indian bread to go with it, and put some plain yogurt on top. Fantastic!

Comments

Interesting!

[avivasedai.livejournal.com]

I don't like curries, usually, because they set my tongue on slow burn. I have no ability to taste past the heat, when there's heat. Wimpy palate. }:-< Anyway, this sounds quite reasonable; I haven't used coconut milk in cooking, so this might be a fun dish to try.

Re: Interesting!

[lady-anemone.livejournal.com]

I think you could make it work. It really wasn't spicy at all. I bet you'd like it!

Also, super-easy to make kosher or veggie.

Re: Interesting!

[avivasedai.livejournal.com]

I can get kosher lamb rather easily down here; the only lamb I've had I haven't really liked, but then again I've had it only 1-2 times as an adult. I could give it another try. I could also toss in a bunch of veggies and some very firm tofu (probably at the end, though, wouldn't want that to totally disintegrate) or chicken.

Re: Interesting!

[lady-anemone.livejournal.com]

I think it would be best with lamb or beef, since those both cook well over really long periods. They give a really good "mouth feel." Chicken would work if it was with the bones and skin.

If you wanted to make it veggie, you could try using paneer, which you can get pre-fried and frozen in any number of places - it's a very firm Indian cheese, great in curry - or tofu, for sure. Another option is to use lentils as the protein source - they also help make it thick and creamy. If you did one of those things, I would suggest adding some olive oil, butter, or other thing with fat content. I would also suggest cooking it a for about half the time.