Meat mains
Lamb and broad bean curry with rice, yoghurt and chapattis
This is an adaptation of a dish called Keema Mutter, lamb mince curry with peas. The broad beans should be young enough to cook; sweet and tender even in their skins. This recipe could be made with mutton or goat, but would need a longer time on the heat.
Cook's notes
Making your own chapatti is the simplest lesson I know in bread making. The best way to knead dough is to push it with the heel of you hand, as if trying to smear it into the work surface. Drag it back into a ball as you bring your hand back, turn it 90° and repeat. You'll feel it firm up and become more elastic as you work. If it feels too wet, flour your hands to stop them sticking.
Ingredients
For the chapati
- 130g wholemeal flour
- cooking oil e.g. sunflower/light olive
For the curry
- 1 onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- 50g fresh ginger
- 1 fresh red chilli
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp coriander
- 300g minced lamb
- 150g brown basmati rice
- 400g of broad beans
- 30g fresh coriander
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 lemon
- 100ml yoghurt
- 3 spring onions
- salt and pepper
Method
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Step 1
Remove 1 tablespoon of flour and keep to one side for dusting later. In the mixing bowl add the remaining flour, a good pinch of salt and 1 tablespoon of oil. Add 60ml (60g) of warm water and form into a dough.
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Step 2
Turn the dough out on to a work surface. Knead the dough for 4-5 minutes until soft and elastic (see cook's notes). Divide into 4 equal sized balls. Cover with a tea towel or clingfilm while you continue. Peel the onion, garlic and ginger.
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Step 3
Grate the onions and garlic or pulse in food processor. Finely grate the ginger and add 2 tablespoons of it to the onion and garlic mix. Deseed and finely chop the red chilli. Add to the onion mix with the ground cumin and coriander. If using a processor pulse briefly to make a paste, otherwise mix well.
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Step 4
Heat some oil in the saucepan and season the lamb well. Fry it for 5 minutes until starting to brown. Add the onion spice paste and cook for a further 3 minutes until everything smells fragrant. Stir continuously, adding more oil if things start to stick.
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Step 5
Add a cup of water to the pan and drop the heat to a low simmer. Cook slowly for 20 minutes, add more water if it starts to dry out and stick. Meanwhile, put a kettle on to boil. Rinse the rice well in a sieve under cold running water.
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Step 6
Put the rice in the saucepan with a pinch of salt and cover well with water from the kettle. Bring the rice up to a simmer, cover loosely and cook for 20 minutes until just tender. Leave to sit for 5 minutes at the end. Wash the fresh coriander and shake it dry.
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Step 7
Chop it finely, including the stalks. Remove the broad beans from their pods. Squeeze the juice from the lemon. Trim and very finely slice 3 spring onions. Add half the coriander, the podded broad beans and garam masala to the lamb with 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice.
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Step 8
Stir in another half cup of water and cook for a further 15 minutes while you make the chapattis. Dust your surface and the rolling pin with flour. Roll out the dough balls as thinly and roundly as possible. Heat the frying pan and cook each one in the dry pan until coloured on each side.
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Step 9
They should take about 1 minute each. Check the seasoning of the curry, adding more salt, pepper or lemon juice if needed. Mix the spring onions with the yogurt and a pinch of salt and pepper. Serve alongside the curry and the fresh chapattis. Garnish with the remaining coriander.