How to Make Bhuna Gosht – A Spicy Lamb Curry

Ingredients

• 70ml (1/4 cup) mustard oil (you could also use vegetable oil but you will lose some flavour)
• 2 tsp brown mustard seeds
• 5 green cardamom pods, bruised
• 3 black cardamom pods, bruised
• 1 cinnamon stick (about 3cm/1 1/4 inch long)
• 3 indian bay leaves (cassia leaves) optional
• 3 medium onions, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 1 tbsp meat masala (optional but delicious)
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1kg (2 lbs.) lamb leg meat – cut into bite sized pieces on or off the bone
• 400g chopped tomatoes (about 3 tomatoes)
• 1 tbsp plain yogurt
• Salt and pepper to taste
• TO GARNISH
• green chillies, finely chopped and to taste
• ginger, julienned and to taste
• 3 tbsp plain yoghurt, more or less to taste

Steps

1. Heat the mustard oil in a large heavy bottomed pan or wok that has a lid.
2. When the oil is hot and beginning to shimmer, stir in the mustard seeds. When the seeds begin to crackle in the hot oil, stir in the remaining whole spices and let them infuse into the oil for about a minute.
3. Now add the chopped onions and fry until translucent and soft. They will turn a light yellow colour from the mustard oil. Stir in the garlic and ginger paste and fry for a further 30 seconds.
4. Stir in the ground spices, followed by the chopped tomatoes and meat.
5. Continue stirring until the meat is completely coated with the other ingredients in the pan and then add about 125ml (1/2 cup) water.
6. Cover the pan and bring to a simmer over a medium heat. After about five minutes, lift the lid and you will see that the meat has already begun to release water and there will be more liquid in the pan than is required.
7. Continue simmering and checkin/stirring ever couple of minutes to thicken some. You only want a little moisture in the pan so that nothing burns to the bottom.
8. You will need to continue cooking in this way for about 45 minutes to an hour. Only add water as needed. During the hour I cooked my bhuna, I only added about 700ml (scant 3 cups) the whole time. You just need to add about 70ml (1/4 cup) at a time and watch for signs of burning while cooking with the lid on.
9. After about an hour of stirring and adding small amounts of water, you meat will be fall off the bone tender and the sauce will be so good and thick, literally clinging to the meat.
10. Season with salt to taste and then stir in about 1 tablespoon of plain natural yoghurt.
11. Serve hot with chapattis or naans, garnished with the chillies, ginger and a little more yoghurt if you like.