Named as such because the chickpeas are so meltingly creamy, this is a recipe inspired by a chickpea curry I had from Afghan Sufra in Lakemba, an area of Sydney known for its wonderful Middle Eastern and sub-continental food scene. I’m obsessed!

Melting Afghan Chickpea Curry

Today’s recipe is inspired by a chickpea curry I had from a casual eatery called Afghan Sufra in Lakemba. Known for its authentic Afghan food, I was drawn in by the smell of smoky grilled meats and walked out with a generous spread of takeaway – for research, of course!

In amongst the loot was a chickpea curry that came with a gigantic flatbread – incredible value at $10, enough to feed two generously, if not three. I enjoyed the flavour of it so much I became fixated on recreating it. And here it is!

Why I love this Afghan chickpea curry so much

To be honest, throughout the creation process, the recipe diverged from the original – my sauce is thicker rather than watery, I use less oil, and I cheat with canned chickpeas so I can make it on demand. But the spirit of the Afghan flavours are there, and distinguishable from other generic curries (you know what I mean!)

You’ll love how the sauce is thickened naturally using dried lentils cooked until they break down, and the neat trick to make the chickpeas beautifully creamy with just a pinch of baking soda. Two tricks I learnt from this Parkistani Lahori Chanay recipe from Sugar Spice & More on which this recipe is based. Though, the spicing ratios I created with reference to the chickpea curry in Parwana, a wonderful Afghan cookbook by Durkhanai Ayubi, and many “debates” with JB (see FAQ below for tales!).

I know this is a weird photo, but it’s my attempt at proof of creamy chickpeas – so soft you can “smear” them with the back of a spoon:

Ingredients in Afghan chickpea curry

Here’s what you need to make this. Just drop by your local grocery store!

1. THE Spices

Because we’re using a combination of spices, it means you can substitute and still end up with a tasty meal, even if the flavour is not exactly what it was intended to be. Handy!

• Cinnamon sticks (oops, photo below! 🙂 )- Sticks rather than powder sort of perfumes sauces in a more delicate way, especially when you toast it in the oil like we do here. If you don’t have sticks, cinnamon powder can be used instead. Just add it with the other powdered spices.

• Coriander and cumin powder – One of these can be substituted with either Garam Masala (better) or curry powder (like Clives, Keens – just regular western brands). If you do both though, it’s too much.

• Cardamom powder and ground cloves – One of these can be substituted with all spice or mixed spice.

• Turmeric powder – Substitute with a small amount of saffron powder (imitation is fine) plus ginger powder.

Note: I’ve seen versions of Afghan curries call for whole rather than ground cardamom and cloves. But for the sake of convenience and to make this midweek friendly, I’ve opted for powder. Picking out little cardamom pods and cloves or fiddling with spice sachets is beyond my reach on Mondays! Cinnamon sticks though, we can manage. 🙂

2. THE CURRY

• Dried red split lentils – Red lentils cook faster than other types, and split red lentils cook even faster (because they are literally the lentils split in half). They only take 10 minutes to cook but we deliberately overcook them here with a total simmer time of 45 minutes so they breakdown and thicken the sauce naturally.

  See expandable box below for using other types of dried lentils / split peas.

• Chickpeas – I use canned for convenience, as I’ve been making this as a mid-weeker. To use dried, use 1 1/2 cups (250g), once cooked this equates to around 3 cans of chickpeas.

• Baking soda (bi-carbonate soda) – The magic ingredient that makes these chickpeas meltingly tender and creamy inside! It’s magical. 🙂 We only use 1/4 teaspoon in a giant pot of curry, a tiny amount you won’t be able to taste.

• Ghee – A clarified butter commonly used in Indian and Middle Eastern cooking for its rich buttery flavour and high smoke point. Sold at large grocery stores here in Australia these days. Substitute in a pinch with butter or coconut oil.

• Ginger and garlic – Fresh, for maximum flavour impact! Finely grated.

• Bay leaves – Preferably fresh though dry is totally fine.

• Vegetable stock – The liquid for simmering. I tried with water and it was ok…..but I felt it was missing body.

How to make Melting Afghan Chickpea Curry

A nice, straightforward recipe. There’s a total simmer time of 45 minutes but it’s low maintenance, you don’t need to worry about stirring.

1. Toast cinnamon sticks – Melt the ghee (or butter) then toast the cinnamon sticks. This brings out the flavour and flavours the ghee too.

2. Sauté – Add the onion, garlic and ginger. Cook for 3 minutes until the onion is translucent. Keep it moving so the garlic and ginger doesn’t catch.

3. Spices and lentils – Next, add the spices and toast them for 30 seconds, then in go the lentils. Stir to coat them in all the tasty spice flavour. Right about now, you know you’re onto something really tasty!

4. Simmer lentils – Add the stock and salt. Stir well and simmer for 15 minutes with the lid on.

5. Chickpeas – Then add the chickpeas, water and bakings soda. Simmer for a further 30 minutes with the lid off.

6. Ready to serve! During this second simmer time, the baking soda will work its magic and turn the chickpeas into the most creamy chickpeas you’ve ever had, and the lentils will breakdown to thicken the sauce. It will be like a thick soup consistency, not as thick as the sauce of popular Indian curries, like butter chicken. But it shouldn’t be watery – if it is, just keep simmering

   Then, it’s ready to serve!

What to serve with this Afghan chickpea curry

Serve in a bowl next to a steamy mound of basmati rice (I put it on the side rather than on top because the sauce is runnier than creamy curries). Or in a bowl like a hearty stew with flatbreads for dunking.

If you can find traditional Afghan flatbreads, lucky you! Especially the giant ones the size of small yoga mats – everybody loves ripping into them! Ryde locals – find them at Bahar Persian Food, Paradise Supermarket and 32 Bakehouse on Church Street. Excellent value ($6 for 2 big breads around 60cm/2 feet round), freezes perfectly.

Else – anything dunk-able will suffice, like shop bought Lebanese bread, flatbreads, or make your own. I promise this will still be one of the most fabulous chickpea curries you’ve had in a very long time. 🙂 Just wait until you experience those creamy chickpeas! – Nagi x

Melting Afghan Chickpea Curry FAQ

Why is it called “melting”?

How long will this keep?

Can I make this with other dried lentils or split peas?

How did you and JB work together to create this recipe?

Watch how to make it

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Melting Afghan chickpea curry

Recipe video above. I never knew chickpeas could be so meltingly creamy by adding a smidge of baking soda! I also love how the sauce is thickened by cooking lentils until they breakdown, two neat tricks picked up from this Pakistani Lahori Chanay by Sugar Spice & More. Combined with an Afghan spice mix from the chickpea curry in Parwana, a wonderful Afghan cookbook by Durkhanai Ayubi, adapted in pursuit of recreating the chickpea curry I had from Afghan Sufra in Lakemba, an area of Sydney known for its wonderful Middle Eastern and sub-continental food scene. I’m obsessed!

Course Main

Cuisine Afghan, Middle Eastern

Keyword afghan curry, Chickpea curry, easy chickpea curry

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 5 – 7 with rice

Author Nagi

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp ghee , substitute unsalted butter or coconut oil (for vegan)
• 2 cinnamon sticks (sub 1/2 tsp powder, add with other spices)
• 1 onion , finely chopped
• 1 1/2 tbsp grated ginger
• 1 1/2 tbsp grated garlic
• 2 bay leaves , preferably fresh else dried
• 1/2 cup dried red split lentils (Note 1)
• 1 cup water
• 1 litre vegetable stock , low sodium
• 1/2 tsp cooking / kosher salt
• 3 x 400g/14oz cans chickpeas , drained (Note 2)
• 1/4 tsp baking soda / bi-carbonate soda (makes chickpeas creamy, optional)

Spices (Note 3):

• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 tbsp cumin powder
• 1 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 3/4 tsp cardamom powder
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves

Serving:

• Basmati rice and/or Afghan bread (Note 4), or other flatbread
• Yogurt (I like to slightly thin with water so it can be drizzled)
• Fresh coriander / cilantro leaves , roughly chopped

Cups – Metric

Instructions

• Sauté – Melt the ghee in a large pot over medium high heat. Add the cinnamon and toast for 30 seconds. Add the onion, ginger, garlic and bay leaves. Cook for 3 minutes until the onion is translucent (stir regularly so the garlic & ginger don't catch).
• Spices and lentils – Add the Spices and stir for 30 seconds. Add the lentils and stir to coat in the spices.
• Simmer lentils – Add the stock and salt. Stir, bring to a simmer. Lower the head to medium, put the lid on and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Simmer chickpeas – Add the chickpeas, water and baking soda. Increase the heat to make it simmer again. Then lower the stove slightly and leave to simmer gently for 30 minutes without a lid or until the lentils mostly broken down to make a thin gravy (you can cook an extra 10 minutes to thicken more if you want).
• Serve with rice on the side and Afghan or other flatbreads for dunking, drizzled with yogurt and sprinkled with fresh coriander if you want (I do).

Notes

1. Dried split lentils – deliberately selected as they cook fast (10 minutes), then we overcook so they break down a bit to thicken the sauce naturally. Other types of dried lentils/split peas, whole red lentils etc take longer so you’ll throw out timing, see the ingredients section for times for different types. Canned lentils – haven’t tried though I know it won’t be quite the same, it should work: drain, add with chickpeas (ie skip the entire lid-on simmer step). 

2. Chickpeas – This is even better if you cook your own dried chickpeas! 🙂 You will need 720g (4 1/2 cups) of cooked chickpeas – start with 1 1/2 cups of dried chickpeas.

3. Spice subs – Try not to skip or sub the turmeric and cardamom as they are what distinguishes this from Indian and other sub-continent curries made with similar spices. But, here are suggestions for swap outs (still tasty, though not as intended).

• Either coriander or cumin with curry powder or Garam Masala
• Cardamom or cloves – all spice or mixed spice
• Turmeric – 1/4 tsp imitation saffron powder plus 1/2 tsp ginger powder

4. Afghan bread – soft bread flatbread similar to Indian flatbreads that can be the size of small yoga mats! Ryde locals – find them at Bahar Persian Food, Paradise Supermarket and 32 Bakehouse on Church St, excellent value, freezes perfectly. Everybody loves ripping into the gigantic sheets of bread!

Leftovers will keep for 4 to 5 days in the fridge, or freezer for 3 months.

Life of Dozer

Director Dozer. He doesn’t realise it’s vegetarian. He didn’t use to care but these days he does, he only gets up when it’s “worth it”. 😂

Oh – he determined that this was definitely worth it. 🤣

The post Melting Afghan chickpea curry appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

There’s something magical about the combination of rich duck meat and Thai red curry! This duck curry recipe features duck breast with golden skin served in a coconut red curry sauce. Add lychees or pineapples for a very special dish that’s to die for!

* THAT IS NOT A PRAWN/SHRIMP in the photo! It’s the hole in a lychee where the seed was removed! 😂 *

Thai red duck curry

I recently enjoyed a beautiful Thai red duck curry at one of my favourite Thai restaurants here in Sydney, Khao Pla in Chatswood, and it inspired me to make my own. The rich flavour of duck meat, with the red curry sauce, the burst of sweet juice from the lychees and freshness from the herbs is one of those eating experiences that I hope everyone tries at least once in their life!

Plus, as much as I love my reliable Chicken Red Curry, duck is special. I’ve always thought of it as a luxury item and I love that duck meat is more readily accessible at grocery store these days. While it is more expensive than chicken, making Duck Curry at home costs, by rough calculations, around 70% cheaper than at a nice Thai restaurant where small bowl can fetch upwards of $30.

Ingredients in Thai Red Duck Curry

Here’s what you need to make duck curry. This recipe calls for 3 duck breasts totalling 500g/1 lb which makes enough curry to serve 4 to 5 people.

1. Duck breast

I’ve eaten and seen duck curry recipes made with all sorts of cuts – whole duck, Marylands (thigh and bone) and breast. Some recipe start with a cooked Chinese BBQ duck while others use a confit method, and some steam/roast/then fry the duck.

I’ve opted for duck breast – easy to cook, relatively easy to get and because I like biting into the rich tender slices of duck smothered in the curry sauce.

Where to find duck breast – These days in Australia it’s fairly common at large grocery stores as well as fresh produce stores and butchers. Look for skin on boneless breast. It costs more than chicken (~$18 for 500g / 1 lb), but it’s special! A luxury product reserved for Thai royalty! (So I’m told by a Thai chef who helped out at RTM a couple of weeks ago 😊)

See FAQ for other duck cuts I have seen used, and why I didn’t opt for them for this recipe.

2. Lychees or pineapples!

To me, lychees are extra special because the season is so fleeting and I love how the pearly white balls look against the red curry. However, I would never hesitate to use pineapple instead – preferably fresh, else canned.

And – tip for you – Asian branded lychees are actually very, very good! I was taken by surprise.

3. thai red curry sauce

You can use homemade red curry paste or store bought, which is what I’ve opted for. If using homemade, you will need a little extra fish sauce (because store bought is well seasoned already).

• Red curry paste – It’s pretty well document on this website: Maesri is my preferred! Cheapest and most authentic flavour of brands you can find at (most) grocery stores without digging in the dark corners of Asian stores. I also like that one can(115g / 1/2 cup) is the perfect amount to make a curry using 1 can of coconut milk.

  Find it at large grocery stores here in Australia (Coles, Woolies, Harris Farms) and in Asian stores (it’s a staple item).

• Garlic and ginger – Adding these gives the store bought curry paste a freshness boost to make it more like homemade red curry paste. It really makes a difference! (Note: ordinarily I use lemongrass but I didn’t feel it added much in duck curry because duck meat is richer in flavour than chicken. So I ended up taking it out of the ingredients.)

• Coconut milk – Not all coconut milk is created equal! Good ones are made with 85%+ coconut so have better flavour. Economical ones are diluted with water. Ayam is my default (89% coconut). Full fat please! Low fat is thinner and has less coconut flavour.

• Makrut lime leaves – For authentic Thai curry flavour! Imparts a special earthy/herby fresh lime flavour into sauces. Fairly accessible these days at large grocery stores and Asian stores. They freeze 100% perfectly which is handy. (Note: formerly known as kaffir lime leaves. The name has been changed due to racial associations.) See FAQ for uses for leftover lime leaves. Can’t find fresh? Still worth making with dried! Though it is worth making a bit of effort to find fresh.

• Fish sauce – This is used as the salt in red curry. More flavour than plain salt!

• Sugar – For the right touch of sweetness you find in red curry sauce.

4. herbs and beans

Thai basil is the classic herb used for Thai cooking, but you can substitute with regular basil. The beans can also be substituted with other vegetables – I chose it for colour and shape.

• Red chilli – For optional garnish. Use large ones for less heat and small Birds Eye or Thai Chillis if you are a spice monster (or claim you are).

• Thai basil – A classic fresh herb used in Thai cooking, it tastes like regular basil with a slightly stronger aniseed and slightly minty flavour. Nowadays it’s fairly widely available in Australia in large grocery stores and green grocers (Coles, Woolies, Harris Farms), but much better value in Asian stores! Substitute with regular basil (I have done so and it’s still company worthy).

• Coriander/cilantro – For garnish, Not vital!

• Green beans – I chose this as I thought the green colour would look nice in the red sauce. Snake beans (Asian long beans) are also on point, though actually, you can use any vegetable you want that you think will work with red curry sauce. Cherry tomatoes seems common but I feel like with lychees, it’s a lot of same-same shiny balls floating in one dish!

How to make Thai Red Duck Curry

This duck curry recipe is actually very straightforward and has a nice workflow to it. Once you start cooking, you can have it on the table in 30 minutes:

1. Duck breast – pan seared to render the fat and crisp the skin (10 minutes), finished in the oven (8 minutes) then rested (5 minutes) before slicing.

2. Red curry sauce – prep the ingredients while the duck is in the pan (it’s hands off), then start the sauce and have it simmering while the duck is in the oven.

3. Serve – the sauce and duck should be ready around the same time, ready to plate up and serve!

1. cooking the duck breast

Both duck and chicken are poultry, but duck is structurally different. Because of this, duck breast cooked to medium rare is like a beautiful steak – tender, rich and juicy. On the other hand, we would never eat chicken breast medium rare. Chewy! Rubbery!

Note: full duck breast cooking explanations got lengthy, so I moved it to a separate post. I figure it will be handy for future use! See How to Cook Duck Breast.

1. Slash skin – Use a sharp knife to make 5 to 6 diagonal slashes across the skin of the duck, taking care not to cut into the pink flesh. Don’t cut from edge-to-edge, you want the skin to stay in one piece but just make slashes in the middle.

   Then pat the skin dry with paper towels and sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides.

2. COLD pan with NO OIL – Don’t turn the stove on yet. Place the duck skin side down in an unheated oven-proof pan without any oil. The pan can be cast iron, non-stick, or a regular pan.

3. Weigh down for flat skin – Place another pan on top of the duck to weigh it down, not a cast iron one though, it’s a little too heavy. This is to prevent the skin from curling and wrinkling.

4. Cook on low 10 minutes – Now you can turn the stove on! Low if it’s a strong stove, or medium low if it’s a weak burner. The more slowly you cook the duck, the more fat you will render out which means crispier skin. It’s low maintenance too, because it’s low heat.

5. Fat starts to render – After a few minutes, take a peek and you’ll see fat has started to melt out of the duck.

6. So much duck fat! At around the 5 to 7 minute mark, the entire pan will be covered in duck fat.

   Keep the pan weight on until around the 7 minute mark when the skin has started to go golden and has “set”. While it is still soft, it can still wrinkle/curl = rubbery patches = 😭

7. Golden crispy skin! Keep cooking until the skin because golden and crispy, around the 10 minute mark, or longer. You can turn the heat up towards the end, once there’s lots of fat in the pan.

8. Finish in oven – When the skin is golden, turn and cook the flesh side for just 1 minute to seal. Then transfer the pan to at 180°C/350°F oven (160°C fan-forced) and roast for 8 minutes or until the internal temperature is 60°C/140°F which is medium ie. light blush of pink. For medium rare (deep pink, like steak), aim for 54°C/130°F (6 minutes).

   Don’t worry if you go over, duck breast is great even fully cooked to 68°C/154.4°F (ie no pink at all, like chicken breast). Think – Chinese BBQ duck. Fully cooked, and delicious!

9. Rest – Then place the duck on a rack set over a plate, or just a plate, and leave it uncovered to rest for at least 5 minutes while you finish the sauce.

10. Slice the duck breast just shy of 5mm / 0.2″ thick. Do this just before placing it in the curry sauce. It can rest for well beyond 5 minutes because the flesh warms up once placed in the hot sauce.

2. red curry sauce

The key step here is to cook off the curry paste, whether using homemade or store bought. It makes a massive difference to improve flavour. If you just stir it into liquid, the flavour is so unimpressive!

1. Cook off curry paste – Sauté the curry paste with the ginger and garlic for 4 to 5 minutes over medium heat. The curry paste will be quite wet at first but will dry out and deepen in colour which improves the flavour of the curry sauce.

2. Sauce – Add the chicken stock first and simmer to reduce by half. Then add the coconut milk, fish sauce, sugar and lime leaves (crush in hands to release flavour). Stir to combine then simmer for 2 minutes.

3. Green beans (or other veg) – Add the beans and simmer for 3 minutes until they are just about tender. (If using other vegetables, add them in based on the cook time).

4. Lychees or pineapples – Then stir the lychees or pineapple in and simmer for just 1 minute just to warm it though rather than cook it until soft. And just before serving, stir the Thai Basil leaves in (it wilts quickly and, like regular basil, darkens in colour with prolonged exposure to heat).

5. Plating up – Though we’re not aiming for super crispy duck skin in this dish, I still like to serve it with most of the skin above the sauce line because it gets less soggy than stirring it though. Visual purpose as well.

   So I put a bit of sauce in the base of a serving bowl then lay the duck breast on top, fanning the slices out slightly to expose the pretty pink flesh. Then I spoon the rest of the curry sauce, lychees etc around the duck breast. Or, I gently place the sliced duck into the pan with the sauce in it, as pictured below.

6. Garnishes and serve! As with many South East Asian dishes, garnishes not only add lovely colour but also extra flavour! Extra Thai basil, coriander/cilantro and slices of red chilli.

Look at it. It’s so beautiful! A riot of colour, the unmissable pearly balls for lychees, the golden duck skin peeking out above the red coconut curry sauce, and the hint of pink flesh on show which screams “I’m so tender and juicy, no dry duck here!!”.

Take it to the table with pride along with jasmine rice that you steamed earlier (despite a certain food blogger not including that instruction as step 1). Gesture grandly* and stand back for a moment to give your audience time to praise and lavish you with exclamations of appreciation before graciously allowing people to dig in! – Nagi x

* If you are more mature than me, you can skip this part.

PS See FAQ below for suggested sides to complete a Thai menu!

Watch how to make it

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Thai red duck curry

Recipe video above. There's something magical about the combination of rich duck meat and Thai red curry! This duck curry recipe features duck breast with golden skin that's thickly sliced and served in a coconut red curry sauce. Add lychees or pineapples for a very special dish that's to die for!

Note: the duck skin doesn't stay super crispy given the saucy environment it ends up in. I like to serve the duck with most of the skin above the sauce line so it doesn't go completely soggy, though if that doesn't bother you it's also nice to stir the duck slices throughout the sauce. Your choice!

Course Main

Cuisine Thai

Keyword duck breast recipe, duck curry, Thai red curry

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4 – 5 as a main

Calories 435cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

Crispy skin duck:

• 500g/ 1 lb duck breasts , boneless, skin on (3 pieces) (Note 1)
• 1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp white pepper (sub finely ground black pepper)

Thai red curry:

• 115g/ 4 oz (1/2 cup) Thai red curry paste (1 can of Maesri, recommended (Note 2) OR 1 batch homemade red curry paste
• 2 large garlic cloves , finely grated (Note 3)
• 2 tsp fresh ginger , finely grated (Note 3)
• 1 cup chicken stock/broth , low sodium
• 400ml/ 14 oz coconut milk , full fat (Note 4)
• 6 – 8 makrut lime leaves , crushed in hand (Note 5)
• 2 tsp white sugar
• 2 tsp fish sauce
• 120g/ 4oz green beans , trimmed and cut in half
• 1 lightly packed cup Thai basil leaves (sub regular basil, Note 6)

Lychees or pineapple – CHOOSE ONE:

• 8 – 12 lychees , whole, peeled, seed removed. Fresh best, canned ok too! (Note 7)
• 1 1/4 cups pineapple pieces , preferably fresh, canned ok (Note 7)

For serving / garnish:

• Jasmine rice (cook 2 cups of raw rice)
• Thai basil leaves , extra
• Coriander/cilantro leaves/small sprigs , optional
• Large red chilli , finely sliced (optional)
• Lime wedges , recommended

Cups – Metric

Instructions

ABBREVIATED RECIPE:

• Slash duck skin, season. Cold pan, no oil, 10 min medium low (weigh down duck) until golden. Reserve 3 tbsp fat. Finish in oven 8 min (target 60°C/140°F, medium), rest. Sauté curry paste in duck fat with garlic and ginger, add stock, reduce by half, add coconut, fish sauce, sugar, lime leaves, simmer 2 min. Add beans, simmer 3 min, add lychees or pineapple, simmer 2 min. Slice duck, serve!

FULL RECIPE:

Crispy golden duck breast:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan-forced).
• Score – Sprinkle half the salt and pepper on the flesh of the duck. Turn. Use a sharp knife to make 5 or 6 diagonal scores on the skin of the breast. Don't pierce the flesh and don't cut all the way to the edge of the skin (Note 8). Pat the skin dry with paper towels, sprinkle with remaining salt and pepper.
• Cold pan, no oil – Don't turn the stove on yet. Use an oven-proof pan (any type). Place the duck skin side down in the cold pan, no oil required. Place another pan on top to lightly weigh the duck down (keeps skin flat).
• Cook 10 minutes – Turn the stove onto medium low. Cook for 10 minutes or until the skin is golden and crispy. Fat will melt out of the duck skin and it will cook in its own fat. (Note 8)
• Reserve duck fat – Pour off 2 to 3 tablespoons of the duck fat into the pan you will use to make the curry sauce.
• Oven 8 minutes – Once the skin is crispy, turn and cook the flesh side for 1 minute. Then transfer the pan to the oven for 8 minutes or until the internal temperature is 60°C/140°F (medium, Note 9)
• Rest – Transfer to a rack or plate and rest for 5 minutes until ready to assemble the curry.

Thai red curry sauce:

• Sauté curry paste – Heat the duck fat (from step 6 above) on medium heat in a deep skillet. Cook the curry paste, garlic and ginger for 4 to 5 minutes. It will dry out and darken in colour, and substantially improves the flavour (especially store bought, but even homemade).
• Sauce – Add chicken stock, stir, then simmer rapidly to reduce by half (2 -3 minutes). Stir in coconut milk, hand-crushed kaffir lime leaves, sugar and fish sauce. Simmer gently on medium for 2 minutes.
• Add ins – Add the beans, simmer for 3 minutes until just cooked. Add the lychees or pineapple, simmer 1 minute. Taste and add a tad extra fish sauce if it needs salt.

Assemble:

• Spoon some sauce in to cover the base of a large deep platter or wide bowl.
• Slice duck breast, just shy of 5mm / 0.2" thick. Place on the sauce, fanning it out slightly to expose the pink flesh.
• Remaining sauce – Spoon the remaining sauce, lychees etc around the duck, avoiding the duck skin.
• Garnish with Thai basil leaves, coriander, chilli and lime wedges.
• Serve – Take to the table with flourish and serve with jasmine rice!

Notes

Recipe based on my Thai Red Curry recipe, inspired by Khao Pla’s Duck Curry and the Thai Red Duck Curry with Lychees in Tony Tan’s beautiful new cookbook Tony Tan’s Asian Cooking Class.

---

1. Duck breast – Fairly readily available at large grocery stores these days, plus butchers. Also see How To Cook Duck Breast for more detailed information on the why of the duck breast cooking method.

I use 3 breasts because 2 is not quite enough meat for the volume of sauce which makes a quantity based on a neat 1 can of coconut milk and 1 can of Maesri curry paste (Note 2).

2. Curry paste – My position on the best store bought Thai red curry is fairly well documented on this website! Maesri is the best – there is just no question, at least, for readily available ones. Find it at Woolies, Harris Farms, Asian stores and online (Australia). (Overseas – Amazon and Asian stores).

3. Grating – Use a microplane or similar to grate it finely so it mixes in really well with the curry paste. Spruces up store bought paste to make it taste like homemade.

4. Coconut milk – Not all coconut milk is created equal! Good ones are made with 85%+ coconut so have better flavour. Economical ones are diluted with water. Ayam is my default (89% coconut). Full fat please! Low fat is thinner and has less coconut flavour.

5. Makrut lime leaves (see in post for former name) – fairly accessible these days at large grocery stores and Asian stores. They freeze 100% perfectly. See FAQ for uses for leftover lime leaves (I have a fair few!) If you can’t find fresh, still worth making with dried (though please try to get fresh, it imparts special flavour into the sauce!)

6. Thai Basil has a slight aniseed flavour. Signature herb for Thai red curry so try not to skip it. Italian basil can be used as a very respectable substitute – I often do!

7. Canned lychees and pineapples are perfectly acceptable if you get a good brand. Asian canned lychees are quite good, in my opinion.

8. Duck tips – Slashing skin lets fat render out for better crispy skin. Avoid cutting the flesh – if you do, juice will come out and the skin won’t be fully crisp. Don’t slash skin all the way to the edge, keep it in one piece (see photos in post). If your duck has a really thick layer of fat (some American breeds do), score diagonally – extra slashes = more fat comes out.

Cooking on low heat = more fat renders out = crispier skin + less fat in end dish (too much duck fat can be rubbery and too fatty). So don’t rush this step!

9. Duck doneness – Medium is my preferred for curry, light blushing pink, tender and juicy. You can go as low as medium rare (think – steak!) – internal temperature X. Don’t fret if you go over – duck breast is still great even fully cooked at X.
Leftovers will keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Freezes ok! 3 months, thaw, then gently reheat.

Best way to make ahead (intentionally) – Keep duck breast whole, fully cool, put in containers. Make sauce but do NOT put lychees or basil in. Cool, container. Fridge for both. Day of, pull out of fridge, slice due. Warm sauce, add lychees, simmer 1 min. Stir duck slices in, let them warm up gently, stir in basil leaves. SERVE! Doesn’t look the same as in photos as slices are stirred in and skin is not exposed, but all the flavour is there. Some might argue this is even better because every duck slice is coated in sauce. 🙂 In fact, most restaurants serve it this way. 

Leftovers keeps for 3 days in the fridge, or freezer for 3 months. It doesn’t bother me at all if the duck skin is sauced up. In fact, the sauce protects the meat from drying out. Heat gently so the duck doesn’t get massively overcooked. 

Nutrition assuming 5 servings – calculating now! Calculated making a conservative allowance of 5 tablespoons of duck fat that ends up in the finished dish (ie the fat poured off a used for cooking plus fat remaining under skin). Excludes rice. 

Nutrition

Calories: 435cal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 558mg | Potassium: 497mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 3717IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 8mg

Life of Dozer

Dozer and I are doing a fundraiser at the local vet hospital this Sunday! It is at SASH in Ryde (Small Animal Speciality Hospital), and it is the vet that saved Dozer’s life this time last year.

SASH reached out to ask if I’d help raise money for Sophie’s Legacy, a charity that aims to reduce suicide among veterinarians. It’s 4x the national average, among the highest suicide rates of all professions. I was shocked and saddened reading about it and the causes of it – lack of industry mental health support, client abuse, overworked, understaffed and people who just give a damn so much who see and do more things than you or I could ever imagine. Like – putting down healthy dogs because the owner cannot afford a knee surgery (this is a tough one), or is moving away and cannot be “bothered” to re-home their pet, or going on a long trip and doesn’t want to pay for boarding.

Yes, this happens. And I’m told that legally, a vet has to do as asked by the owner because pets are the property of the owner.

As you might have guessed, Sophie’s Legacy is a charity set up by the parents of a young veterinarian who sadly took her own life. Their goal is to provide mental health support for vets to reduce suicide in the profession.

Dozer and I are doing a book signing this weekend where attendees are making a donation for each book signed. Unfortunately, the event filled up too fast before I was able to share it here on my website! However, there is a waiting list (join it here), so I can gauge numbers for alternative options.

If you cannot make the event but would like to donate you can do so here – and Sophie’s family and I thank you for your generosity. You can also sign the petition here to lobby the government for change.

Also, Dozer is donation matching – dollar for dollar, hoping to reach our goal of $20,000 across both the SASH event and through the Sophie’s Legacy donation page. He is using his life savings – almost 13 years! 🥰

Dedicated to Dr. Sophie Putland, a daughter, a sister, a friend, and a beloved vet, who tragically took her own life in September 2021, and to all the wonderful dedicated vets of the world who do so much to care for our pets.

The post Thai Red Duck Curry appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

This is a recipe for a succulent fall-apart tender lamb shoulder that is slow cooked in a rich massaman curry sauce, presented in a grand roast lamb centrepiece form. My current most-made lamb shoulder recipe. Got 5 minutes to make it? 🙂

5 Minute Fall-apart Massaman Lamb Shoulder

This recipe is going to save you on those occasions when you need to serve a group and are pressed for time, yet still wanting to make something that looks impressive. I mean, we have a reputation to uphold, after all! 🙂

You literally just put everything in a pan, which takes all of 5 minutes, then leave it in the oven to slow roast for 4 hours.

And what comes out is extraordinary. The lamb meat is succulent fall-apart tender, swimming in a to-die-for massaman curry sauce with soft potatoes that literally melt in your mouth.

Plus, it can be made the day before because it reheats 100% perfectly (can’t say that about most roasts!) and it’s kid friendly because Massaman curry isn’t spicy.

Cynical? Don’t blame you!

If it sounds too good to be true – I don’t blame you for being cynical! This recipe works very specifically because it’s slow-roasted (allows time for the sauce and meat to develop flavour), we’re using lamb meat (more flavourful than chicken, pork and beef) and because we’re using a richly flavoured curry sauce as the braising liquid.

Need more proof? Head over to the Massaman Lamb Shanks. Same method. Glowing reviews!

Ingredients in Massaman Lamb Shoulder

A shortcut in this recipe is that we use store bought curry paste. In fact, homemade Massaman Curry paste doesn’t work for this recipe because it’s too fresh! We need the concentrated flavour of store bought.

Also, as mentioned above, using lamb here is a deliberate choice. In fact, traditional Massaman Curry is made with beef but I opt for lamb because it’s a stronger flavoured meat.

1. Lamb shoulder

Lamb shoulder is a cut of lamb that needs to be cooked long and slow to give the tough meat fibres time to break down and become tender. You can’t cook shoulder to blushing pink like a traditional Lamb Leg, it’s just too tough.

• Where to get it – These days, you can find shoulder in regular grocery stores here in Australia. It used to be cheaper than lamb leg but now it’s about the same price. But, it is more succulent and has better flavour than lamb leg!

• Get bone in because the meat is juicier. Trust me on this, I’ve tested bone-in and boneless side by side. The difference is phenomenal! (See FAQ for more information).

• Other lamb cuts – For lamb shanks, use the Massaman Lamb Shanks recipe (it’s slightly different). Boneless lamb shoulder will work but reduce the cooking time by an hour.

• Other proteins – I don’t think beef chuck would add enough flavour into the sauce for this method of cooking (ie no searing meat prior). Beef short ribs do work (reduce bake time by about 1 1/2 hours, it was great). Pork shoulder will also work but I haven’t got my head around how good pork is with massaman curry sauce. Tasty, but perhaps better with beef or lamb? Chicken won’t work because it can’t be cooked long enough to give the sauce sufficient time to develop enough flavour. Bear in mind this recipe is designed with convenience in mind which means we need slow-cooking time for flavour creation!

2. THE CURRY PART

• Massaman Curry paste – Maesri is my preferred brand. Not all curry pastes are made equal! More on this below.

• Cinnamon and star anise – Flavour boost of two dominant spices in Massaman curry paste.

• Coconut milk – As used in traditional Massaman Curry sauce. Look for a coconut milk that is at least 80% coconut! Very economical brands can be as low as 30% which barely taste of coconut. I use Ayam (89%).

• Chicken stock/broth – To create volume to make a braising liquid to mostly submerge the lamb, as well as adding depth of flavour into the sauce. A shortcut – traditional Massaman Curry is made by braising pieces of beef in liquid to make a homemade stock which is used for the sauce.

  Get low-sodium so your sauce doesn’t end up too salty. (Though it won’t be a disaster if you don’t get low sodium as the giant hunk of lamb + potatoes will absorb the salt).

• Potato and onion – traditionally included in traditional Massaman Curry. Use whole baby potatoes, around 3cm/1.2″ wide is ideal, so they hold together and become beautifully soft and creamy inside. ⚠️ Do not use cubes of cut potato as they will disintegrate and make the sauce grainy!

3. Maesri curry paste

Here is the undisputed king of all store bought Thai curry pastes – Maesri. Restaurants use it, chefs use it, and food obsessed people like myself are mad for it.

And it happens to be sold at regular grocery stores and it’s the cheapest (currently ~$2.00).

I use it for all my Thai curries when I don’t have time / ingredients to make the curry paste from scratch – Red, Green and traditional Massaman beef curry. And any other recipe calling for a dollop or two of curry paste, from the peanut dipping sauce for Thai Satay Chicken to Thai Coconut Pumpkin Soup to Red Curry Pot Roast Chicken!

• Where to find Maesri curry paste – At your local grocery store! It’s sold at most metropolitan Coles and Woolworths grocery stores in Australia (Asian section), at Harris Farms, practically all Asian stores (it would be un-Asian not to carry it!) and here it is online in the US, Canada* and UK.

• Can’t find it? Use any Massaman Curry paste you can find. My personal order of preference (Aussie brands) – Ayam, Five Tastes and bringing up the rear is Volcom (it’s always too sweet).

* Obscenely expensive, please try to get to an Asian store!

How to make Massaman Lamb Shoulder

2 easy steps -put everything into a pan, bake 4 hours! You can also use your slow cooker – see recipe notes.

1. Sauce – Put the curry, coconut and stock in a roasting pan. Whisk until lump free (including pesky coconut milk lumps).

   💡If making ahead to reheat tomorrow, use a ceramic, glass or enamel coated cast iron baking dish rather than a metal one. I typically try to avoid keeping foods in any type of metal pans overnight. Just to be cautious!

2. Lamb upside down – Put the lamb shoulder in then turn to coat in the sauce. Then arrange it so it is upside down in the sauce. ie fat cap side / meaty side down, red boney side facing up. This way most of the meat is submerged in the liquid so it braises.

   Scatter the onion, cinnamon, star anise and potatoes around the lamb.

3. Slow roast high then low – Cover with foil. Roast for 1 hour 220°C/425°F (200°C fan) to get the heat going inside the pan (it’s a big hunk of meat there, which takes a while to heat up), then 3 hours at 180°C/350°F (160°C fan) or until the meat is fork-tender. This means that you should be able to pry the meat apart with two forks without any effort.

4. Brown it – Remove the foil and carefully turn the lamb over so. Spoon some sauce over then pop it back in the oven for 30 minutes until the surface is a lovely deep golden brown.

   Sauce adjustments – If you don’t have enough sauce when you remove the foil, just add water before browning the lamb. If there’s too much / too thin, just pop the pan back into the oven without the lamb (once browned). It’s so easy to adjust!

   Making ahead? After browning, let it fully cool uncovered then refrigerate overnight. On the day of, just reheat it in the oven covered for 1 hour. See recipe notes for directions!

5. Skim fat – Remove it from the oven and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Skim off the excess fat from the surface of the sauce using a large spoon. There will be a fair amount – around 1/2 to 3/4 cup (125 – 180 ml). Lamb shoulder is a fatty cut, and that is why it is so tasty! Don’t try to get all the fat because otherwise you’ll lose too much sauce. And remember, fat = flavour!

   💡If you refrigerated overnight, you can lift sheets of the fat off the surface of the sauce but be sure to scrape all the sauce off the underside!

6. Garnish and serve – If you’re posh (I’m not), transfer everything into a serving dish then sprinkle with the red chilli slices and coriander/cilantro. Serve with rice and tongs – no carving knife required here, this is not the carving sort! See the section below for various serving styles.

Serving styles

An odd-sounding heading perhaps, but it will make sense once I explain! Here are the 3 ways I have served this lamb in the past few months (it’s been regularly used since I invented it, so handy for groups):

1. Lazy format for familiar people eg family, casual lunch with the team – Leave the whole lamb shoulder in the roasting pan. It does get a bit messy as the meat-tearing progresses as the bone gets in the way, and also there are pockets of fat that I find people tend to avoid and leave in the pan. But, it’s less work for me to serve, and the whole lamb looks impressive! 🙂 I do this most of the time!

2. Meat fully removed – This one is easy for guests to serve themselves though lacks the visual impact of a whole lamb shoulder. Remove all the meat off the bone and separate into large-ish serving-size chunks. Remove and discard large identifiable pockets of fat. Squidge meat in sauce, garnish, serve with large serving spoon.

3. Bone removed, lamb in-tact – This is a good way to have visual impact of a whole piece of lamb but it’s easier to serve because the bone is removed. You literally just grab the bone and slide it out of the meat, taking care to keep the lamb in tact. Because the meat is so tender, it should slide out effortlessly.

What to serve with Massaman Lamb Shoulder

Rice is essential, for sauce soaking. Jasmine is my first pick (being Thai and all) though basmati is beautiful with it too, given the Indian influence of Massaman curry. They both have a slight perfume of flavour that goes so well with this dish but I’m sure nobody would snob other rice types on offer! 🙂

I’d suggest opting for a light and fresh side salad as this dish is quite rich. It’s pictured above with an Asian Slaw on the side. Some more suggestions: Leafy Asian salad, Chang’s Crispy Noodle Salad, Smashed Cucumber Salad, Japanese Slaw, Glass Noodle Salad (skip the chicken), or any fresh vegetables/salady things / blanched greens you want tossed with my simple 4 ingredient Asian Sesame Dressing.

Enjoy! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

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Fall-apart massaman lamb shoulder

Recipe video above. Fall-apart succulent lamb smothered in a rich massaman curry sauce with melt-in-your-mouth potatoes that will take you 5 minutes to prepare.

This larger-format version of Lamb Shanks Massaman Curry is made for groups: make up to 4 shoulders at once (serves 25 – 30!), reheats 110% perfectly (unlike lamb leg!), it looks impressive and a crowd pleaser. Plus it's kid friendly because Massaman Curry isn't spicy!

Course Main

Cuisine Thai-ish

Keyword lamb shoulder, Massaman Curry

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 4 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Resting 15 minutes minutes

Servings 6 – 8

Calories 478cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

• 2-2.25kg/ 4 – 4.5 lb lamb shoulder , bone in, excess fat trimmed (but leave thin fat layer on (Note 1)
• 114g/ 4oz (1/2 cup) Maesri Massaman curry paste (1 can) , or other brand (Note 2)
• 400g/ 14 oz can coconut milk , full fat (Note 3)
• 3 cups chicken stock/broth , low sodium
• 1 onion , halved then cut into 1 cm / 1/2″ thick wedges
• 2 cinnamon sticks (or 1/2 tsp powder)
• 2 star anise (won’t ruin if you don’t have this)
• 600g/ 1.2 lb small baby potatoes , whole (don’t cut cubes, Note 4)

Garnishes / serving:

• 2 large red chillis , finely sliced diagonally (optional)
• 1 cup (lightly packed) coriander leaves & sprigs (cilantro) , highly recommended
• Jasmine rice (basmati also excellent)

Cups – Metric

Instructions

Abbreviated recipe:

• Whisk curry, coconut and stock, put lamb in upside down. Add spices and potatoes, foil cover, roast 1 hour at 220°C/425°F (200°C fan), 3 hours 180°C/350°F (160°C fan) or until fall-apart. Uncover, turn lamb, 30 minutes. Garnish, serve!

Full recipe steps:

• Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F (200°C fan-forced).
• Whisk the curry paste, coconut milk and chicken stock in a pan until lump free. Put lamb shoulder in, turn to coat in the sauce then place it so it's upside down (ie meaty / fat side down).
• Place the onion, cinnamon sticks, star anise and potatoes around the lamb. Cover with foil.
• Slow-cook – Roast for 1 hour. LOWER the oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan) then roast for a further 3 hours. (Note 5)
• Check – Remove foil and use forks to check the meat is virtually “fall-apart-tender”, it should be by this time. If not, cover and keep cooking.
• Brown – Turn the lamb over, spoon over sauce. Bake uncovered 30 minutes or until deep golden. (Note 6 for sauce adjustments)
• Serve – Rest for 10 – 15 minutes. Spoon off as much or as little excess fat off surface, discard. Mix sauce well (it's quite runny, if it was thicker it'd be too rich). Transfer to a serving dish, if you like, sprinkle with chilli and coriander. Serve! (Note 7 for serving styles)

Notes

1. Lamb – Small lamb shoulders work too, but then there’s less meat 🙂 There’s enough sauce for a shoulder up to around 2.5kg/5lb, bone-ine. Boneless shoulder also excellent, ~1.75 kg / 3.5lb, it should be fall-apart by about the 3 hour mark. Lamb leg (bone-in) will also work but because it’s leaner, the meat is not as juicy.

Other meat that will work: boneless short rib, whole pork shoulder (bone-in), but please read in post for comments on these cuts. Chicken not recommended!

2. Massaman curry paste – best is Maesri brand, sold at most Woolworths (see here) & Coles in Australia, as well as Harris Farms and Asian stores. Also happens to be the cheapest at ~$2.10 a can. 

Otherwise, use whatever brand you can find (my preferences: Ayam, Five Tastes and lastly Volcom).

3. Coconut milk – not all coconut milk is created equal. Look for brands that are at least 80% coconut for better coconut flavour (check the ingredients), I use Ayam which is 89%.

4. Potatoes – small ones ~3cm / 1.2″ is ideal. Keep them whole or halve, with skin on. Don’t use peeled cubes of potato, they will disintegrate and make the sauce grainy.

5. Oven temps – Initial high temp roasting is to get heat inside the lamb and liquid, cuts down on slow roasting time by an hour. 

Slow cooker – 10 hours on low. Transfer everything to a pan (lamb upside down), 180°C/350°F (160°C fan) 30 minutes, turn lamb, 30 – 45 minutes until nicely coloured and sauce reduced (remove lamb and reduce in oven more if needed). Handy, but, oven roasting is better flavour (better caramelisation). 🙂

6. Sauce amount – If you don’t have enough sauce when you remove the foil (eg foil not on properly, extra large pan, lamb was not as juicy, oven runs hot), just add water before browning the lamb. If there’s too much / too thin, just pop the pan back into the oven without the lamb (once browned). It’s so easy to adjust!

7. Serving style – See in post for suggestions, section above the video. Whole, or boneless whole, or shredded. Different occasions for each!

8. MAKE-AHEAD BRILLIANCE – One of the rare roasts that reheats almost 100% perfectly (in fact, the sauce flavour gets better with time), making it excellent for making ahead for gatherings. Use a ceramic or glass baking dish, fully cool (whole) then refrigerate overnight in the dish. Take out of the fridge a good 2 hours prior, cover loosely with foil, reheat at 180°C/350°F (160°C) for 1 hour (2 shoulders each in separate pans took 1 hour 15 minutes).

Nutrition per serving assuming 8 servings. It will serve 6 comfortably with rice and a single side salad (lamb meat + the sauce is pretty rich), up to 8 if you had a couple of sides.

Nutrition

Calories: 478cal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 48g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 142mg | Sodium: 502mg | Potassium: 1100mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 2250IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 7mg

Lamb shoulder is a firm favourite for entertaining

See?

Slow Cooked Lamb Shoulder

Ultimate Roast Lamb: 12-hour lamb shoulder

Middle Eastern Shredded Lamb with Chickpea Pilaf (Rice)

Slow Cooked Lamb Shawarma

Roast Lamb

Life of Dozer

If you told me 10 years ago I’d be sitting on the floor of a shopping centre with a dog watching a lightwall until the advert for my book signing came up, I’d have looked at you like I’m crazy.

Instead, people were looking at me like I’m crazy!! 😂

Here’s a fun little video I put together of Dozer’s visit to Warringah Mall yesterday to check out our lightwall! Truthfully, I was a little disappointed. I was secretly hoping for a giant photo of Dozer. I know, I know, I’m such an ungrateful brat! 😈

The post 5 Minute Fall-apart Massaman Lamb Shoulder appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Rich with coconut cream and cashews, Lamb Korma is gently spiced and mildly sweet. It’s so family-friendly and easy to love, I call it “the other butter chicken!” Serve this lamb curry with basmati rice and homemade naan for a cosy Indian night in. Update: slow cooker, instant pot and pressure cooker directions added by popular demand!

Lamb Korma curry

Not all curries are fiery hot and intense flavoured, like Vindaloo and Rogan Josh. Like – everybody’s favourite Butter Chicken. And today’s Lamb Korma! The sauce is gently flavoured with spices, and it’s not spicy at all. It’s got a triple hit of creamy – pureed cashews, coconut cream and regular cream. And it’s a little bit sweet.

I describe it as “family friendly curry”, being one that everyone can enjoy!

Why make your own Lamb Korma?

Most Lamb Korma curries I’ve had at restaurants are far too sweet and much too oily for my taste. Same with jarred sauces from shops which also tend to completely lack depth of flavour.

I mean, Korma is supposed to be a bit sweet. But not candy sweet!!

Making Lamb Korma at home is so much better. It’s reliable, far cheaper, healthier and it’s really no harder than making a regular beef stew. Plus, you’ll find everything you need from large grocery stores except perhaps Kashmiri chilli which you can easily substitute with smoked paprika + cayenne pepper.

Are you ready to make your own Lamb Korma with fall-apart lamb smothered in a gorgeous creamy cashew-coconut sauce?? Yes you are!!

PS Proof of fall-apart lamb hunks:

Ingredients in Lamb Korma curry

As I mentioned earlier, you should be able to find all the key ingredients from regular grocery stores (albeit large ones, perhaps not your cheerful local corner store!). There are a couple of speciality items you might not be able to find (ghee, Kashmiri powder) but there are easy substitutes!

1. Best lamb cut for lamb korma

Lamb shoulder is the best cut because it becomes meltingly tender with hours of slow cooking to break down the tough fibres. We cut the meat into large cubes else they will cook too quickly, before the sauce has had sufficient time to develop flavour.

The recipe calls for 800g/1.6 lb lamb sounds like a lot for 4 servings, but it shrinks a lot! In fact, the initial recipe used 600g of meat but it wasn’t enough for 4 adults.

Other lamb cuts – I can’t think of any other cut of lamb that will produce the same results, not even other slow cooking cuts of lamb. For example, there’s not enough meat on lamb shanks to cut large 5cm/2″ cubes we need for lamb korma. You can cook the shanks whole, though there’s not enough liquid to submerge 4 shanks. Lamb neck is great for slow cooking but too bony for this recipe (again, can’t cut large chunks). Lamb leg is too lean, and it’s illegal in my books to cook lamb cutlets and backstrap beyond medium rare (too expensive!).

Like I said, I can’t think of any other lamb cut suitable for this recipe. I have applied thought to it!!

Other meat (beef, pork) – Korma is traditionally made with lamb and the distinct flavour of lamb is partly what makes the korma curry sauce so special. However, the recipe will work as written with similar slow-cooking cuts of beef (chuck or boneless rib are the ones I’d recommend) or pork (pork shoulder). Chicken isn’t suitable for this recipe as written because it will be way overcooked in the time it takes to develop enough flavour in the sauce. I’d have to concentrate the sauce flavour a bit, so it’s a separate recipe!

2. lamb korma spices

Here are the spices you need for lamb korma. Don’t worry if you can’t find Kashmiri chilli powder! There’s an easy substitute.

• Kashmiri chilli powder is a spicy, smoky Indian chilli powder sold at Indian grocery stores and some speciality stores. Substitute with 3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika plus 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper.

• Garam masala– a spice mix used in Indian cooking that is easily found these days in the spice aisle of large grocery stores. Think of it as the better curry powder! If you can’t find it, substitute with an Indian curry powder.

• Green cardamom pods – These are fairly easily found these days in regular grocery stores. They have a kind of citrusy fresh herbal flavour.

• Turmeric powder – Bright yellow powder that adds earthy flavour.

• Ginger powder – a warm flavour that is quite different to fresh ginger.

• Cinnamon sticks – Sticks rather than powder add a subtle perfume of flavour into the sauce.

3. onion-garlic-ginger paste & cashew puree

Two unique aspects of this curry is the use of pureed cashew to thicken and enrich the sauce, and starting the curry sauce with a good amount of sautéed pureed onion, ginger and garlic. Don’t even think about just using chopped onion, it’s not the same at all!

• Onion – Use brown or yellow onions.

• Garlic – 8 whole, large cloves!

• Ginger – A 5 cm/2″ piece, skin scraped or cut off then sliced.

• Cashews – Roasted, unsalted cashews which we puree into a thick sauce with a little water.

4. everything else for the curry sauce

And here’s everything else we need to make Lamb Korma:

• Ghee – A type of clarified butter used in Indian cooking, tastes like butter on steroids! It has a texture and melts like butter but can be kept in the pantry rather than in the fridge. Fairly readily available these days in the Indian section of large grocery stores, Indian and Asian shops, or make your own (super easy). Substitute with unsalted butter, or coconut oil (unrefined/virgin which has lovely coconut flavour).

• Sugar – Just 4 teaspoons adds a touch of sweetness in the sauce.

• Coconut cream – Thicker and richer than coconut milk! Full fat please. Low fat doesn’t have nearly as much coconut flavour.

• Regular cream – Again, full fat please! Else the sauce will lack richness.

• Chicken stock/broth – I see a lot of Indian home cooking recipes using water instead of stock or broth. To me, the sauce lacks depth of flavour when made using water. I have a theory that spices in India could be fresher and more aromatic that what we get a grocery stores in Western countries, which could explain this!

How to make Lamb Korma Curry

A stick blender is your friend here! Makes the pureeing of the onion and cashews a breeze. 🙂 While the onion can be pureed in a food processor, you will struggle with the cashews unless you have a small one because there isn’t enough volume.

1. Puree onion – Place the onion, garlic and ginger into a tall container that fits the head of a stick blender. Blitz until smooth. It only takes about 5 to 10 seconds. Scrape it into a bowl, then set aside.

2. Cashew puree – In the same jar, blitz the cashews and water with the stick blender until smooth. It will only take about 10 seconds. Cover the mouth of the jar with your hand (to prevent flying cashew comets!). Then set aside. We will add it into the sauce partway through the slow cooking time.

3. Cardamom sachet (OPTIONAL) – Bundle and tie the cardamom pods into a sachet using muslin or cheesecloth. Otherwise, just put the loose pods in the curry and pick them out when eating (this really doesn’t bother me, but I know someone people don’t like it!).

4. Reduce onion puree – Melt and heat the ghee over high-heat. Then cook the onion puree for a good 8 minutes or until it reduces by half. Because it’s so watery, it won’t “sauté” like chopped onion. Rather, it just reduces and dries out. Don’t let it caramelise or brown.

5. Add lamb then stir until the lamb changes from red to light brown. Don’t try to brown the meat – it won’t happen!

6. Sauce – Stir in the ground spices (turmeric, ground ginger, garam marsala and kashmiri chilli). Then add the stock. The liquid will barely cover the meat. Add the cardamom pod sachet and cinnamon sticks, then stir. Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid then transfer to the oven.

7. Slow cook 2 hours – Cook for 1 1/2 hours at 180°C/350°F (160°C fan-forced). Stir in the pureed cashews, put the lid back on then return to the oven for another 30 minutes. The sauce should have thickened to a creamy consistency and lamb should be tender end to pull apart with forks with no effort.

8. Finish & serve  – Place the pot on a low heat. Add the sugar, salt, coconut cream and cream, then stir. Simmer for 2 minutes, then it’s ready to serve. Look at the sauce!! Full of the promise of flavour!

What to serve with Lamb Korma

Serve over basmati rice, the type of rice traditionally served with Indian food. It’s more aromatic than plain white rice though really, you can use any type of rice in a pinch – see options here.

Adding naan for dunking is highly recommended! It’s exceptional – fluffy, bubbly and chewy like real restaurant naan rather than just a basic flatbread which all too many recipes are. It is a yeast dough, but it doesn’t require kneading!

If you’re looking to put on a full Indian feast (I feel you must, one of these days!), try Samosas or Pakoras as starters and add a Tomato Salad with Minted Yogurt Dressing as a fresh vegetable side.

suggested dishes to serve alongside lamb korma

Samosa recipe

How to cook Basmati Rice

Naan recipe – chewy & fluffy!

Pakora (Indian Vegetable Fritters)

Indian Tomato Salad with Mint Dressing

Persian Love Cake

No Bake Mango Cheesecake

Homemade Mango Ice Cream Recipe (No Ice Cream Maker!)

Regretfully, I don’t have any Indian dessert recipes. The closest I can offer up is a Persian Love Cake which is a gently spiced cake made with almond meal and semolina. Strictly speaking, it’s Middle Eastern (and in fact, was part of a Middle Eastern menu I shared, find it in the Persian Love Cake recipe) but the flavours would fit in nicely for an Indian themed dinner! – Nagi x

PS I just had another thought – Mango Ice Cream (no ice cream maker method) or Mango Cheesecake would also suit nicely, being that India is rather obsessed with mangoes!

Watch how to make it

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Lamb korma curry

Recipe video above. In stark contrast to bold spicy curries like Vindaloo, Lamb Korma is creamy, nutty and gently spiced. It's easy to love and so family-friendly, I call it the "other butter chicken"! Slow cooked until the meat is fall-apart tender, I particularly love the subtle cashew flavour in the sauce from the pureed cashews, and the distinct flavour that lamb adds to sauce.

* Oven method yields the best flavour but see note 8 for slow cooker, instant pot and pressure cooker methods. Super handy, and I was very happy with it!

Course Mains

Cuisine Indian

Keyword korma curry, lamb curry, lamb korma

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 604cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

Onion paste:

• 2 large onions , cut into 1cm/1/2″ squares (brown or yellow)
• 8 large garlic cloves , peeled, halved
• 4cm/ 1.5" piece ginger , peeled, sliced 3mm/0.2″ thick

Cashew puree:

• 1/4 cup cashews , roasted, unsalted (~20 cashews)
• 1/3 cup water

Lamb korma

• 3 tbsp ghee (Note 1), or unsalted butter
• 800g / 1.6 lb lamb shoulder (Note 2), trimmed off excess fat, cut into 4-5 cm / 2" cubes
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 5 1/2 tsp garam marsala (Note 3)
• 1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder (or smoked paprika + cayenne – Note 4)
• 2 cups chicken stock/broth , low-sodium
• 10 cardamom pods (green), lightly crushed, wrapped and tied in muslin or cheesecloth (Note 5)
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 4 tsp white sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
• 1/2 cup coconut cream , full-fat (Note 6)
• 1/2 cup cream , full-fat (any type – thickened/heavy, pure etc)(Note 6)

SERVING

• Basmati rice or other plain white rice of choice
• Naan , for dunking! (optional)
• Cashews finely chopped (optional sprinkle)
• Coriander/cilantro leaves , roughly chopped (optional garnish)

Cups – Metric

Instructions

• Onion puree – Place the onion, garlic and ginger into a tall container that fits the head of a stick blender. Blitz until smooth – about 5 to 10 seconds. Scrape into a bowl, set aside.
• Cashew puree – In the same jar, while covering the mouth of the jar with your hand (to prevent flying cashew comets), blitz the cashews and water with the stick blender until smooth, about 10 seconds. , Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan-forced).
• Reduce onion puree – Melt and heat ghee in a ~24 cm/ 10" oven-proof pot over high-heat. Cook the onion puree, stirring regularly, for 8 minutes until it has reduced by half. Don’t let it caramelise.
• Add lamb, reduce to medium-high heat then stir until the meat changes from red to light brown. Don’t try to brown the meat (it won't happen).
• Sauce – Add turmeric, ground ginger, garam marsala and kashmiri chilli, then stir through. Pour in the stock (the liquid should just barely cover the meat). Add cardamom pod sachet and cinnamon sticks, then stir. Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid then transfer to the oven.
• Slow cook – Cook for 1 1/2 hours. Stir in Cashew Puree, put the lid back on then return to the oven for another 30 minutes. The sauce should have thickened to a creamy consistency and lamb should be tender end to pull apart with forks with no effort. (Note 6)
• Creamy sauce – Place the pot on a low heat. Add the sugar, salt, coconut cream and cream, then stir. Simmer for 2 minutes, then you’re done!
• Serve over basmati rice with a sprinkle of cashew nuts and coriander, if desired. Naan for dunking highly recommended!

Notes

1. Ghee – A type of clarified butter used in Indian cooking, tastes like butter on steroids! Fairly readily available these days in the Indian section of large grocery stores, Indian and Asian shops. Substitute with unsalted butter, or coconut oil (unrefined/virgin which has lovely coconut flavour).

2. Lamb shoulder is the best because it becomes meltingly tender with hours of slow cooking to break down the tough fibres. No other cut of lamb will produce the same results (see Ingredients section for commentary). Cut large cubes else they will cook too quickly, before the sauce has had sufficient time to develop flavour. PS I know 800g/1.6 lb lamb sounds like a lot for 4 servings, but it shrinks a lot! 

Other meat – Beef chuck or boneless ribs, or pork shoulder, follow recipe as written, though note that korma is most commonly made with lamb.

3. Garam masala is a spice mix used in Indian cooking that is easily found these days in the spice aisle of large grocery stores. Think of it as the better curry powder! If you can’t find it, substitute with an Indian curry powder.

4. Kashmiri is a spicy, smoky Indian chilli powder sold at Indian grocery stores and some speciality stores. Substitute with 3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika plus 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper.

5. Cardamom – Bundle up and tie to hold the cardamom pods in a bag. Otherwise, just put the loose pods in the curry and pick them out when eating (this really doesn’t bother me, but I know someone people don’t like it!).

6. Avoid low fat! If you go down the low-fat path, you will find that the sauce lacks the creamy mouthfeel and Korma-coconut-flavour. I really recommend sticking to full fat!

7. Sauce thickness – If the sauce is not thick enough, just reduce on the stove before adding the cream and coconut cream. If the lamb is not tender enough, cover and return to the oven in 10 minute increments.

8. Slow cooker, pressure cooker, instant pot method – Need to alter recipe else the sauce lacks flavour because the meat is not browned off and you don’t get surface caramelisation like you do in the oven. Here’s how to do it:

• Reduce chicken stock/broth by 1 cup
• Increase coconut cream and cream to 2/3 cup each, and increase salt by 1/4 tsp.
• Puree cashews with 1/3 cup chicken stock instead of water
• Start on stove or sauté function of instant pot/slow cooker.
• Melt all the ghee OR 1 tbsp plain oil on high heat then brown the surface of the lamb in batches (but still raw inside). Remove. (If you used oil, add butter now). 
• Cook down the onion puree per recipe then follow recipe as written (returning browned lamb into pot) up to step 6.
• Add cashew puree and coconut cream (but not regular cream), bring to simmer. Transfer everything into slow cooker/IP (scrape out pot well!). 
• Cook times – Slow cooker (LOW 8 hrs, HIGH 3 hrs), pressure cooker/IP HIGH 40 min.
• Stir in regular cream. Simmer with lid off if needed to thicken sauce (shouldn’t need, but sometimes lamb drops more juices than expected). Serve!

Storage  – Leftovers will keep for 3 days, though I always feel the spice flavours start fading!

Nutrition per serving, assuming 4 servings. Does not include rice or naan.

Nutrition

Calories: 604cal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 143mg | Sodium: 1012mg | Potassium: 820mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 444IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 99mg | Iron: 5mg

Life of Dozer

This week, we had a photo shoot at Bayview dog beach with Rob, Dozer’s favourite photographer. He can only do these sprints for short bursts these days. So what a treat it was to have it captured – thank you Rob!

Also, Dozer says sorry for spitting sand on the very expensive lenses….

DOZER FOOD CREATION CONTINUES

And in the kitchen, the new senior-citizen Dozer swallow-safe food project continues. I think I’m getting close! Inspired by the soft, slippery, bouncy Asian fish balls, I think I’ve come up with a formula and method to make large quantities of swallow-friendly food that will work with most proteins as well as incorporating fresh vegetables.

Glutinous rice flour seems to be the key, to hold the mixture together without drying it out!

The ability to make big-batch food is important for me because Dozer eats a LOT!! 1 kg / 2 lb a day, to be exact. What you see above is just 2 1/2 days worth of food for him!!

I haven’t forgotten my promises to share the recipe. I just hesitate to share anything before I get fully comfortable with it myself because it’s designed for dogs with medical conditions and I am not a qualified veterinarian or nutritionist for that matter. I shall be caveating heavily when I share the recipe!

Oh, and a snap from this morning on his Digestion Bed on which he perches for 30 minutes after every meal, set on an incline to coax food does his throat. He’s very comfortable on it these days! And why wouldn’t he be? I wouldn’t complain if someone told me I had to lounge on a soft bed after every meal!

And in case you are wondering if Dozer is still able to carry out his important work as the Chief Recipe Tester of RecipeTin Eats – yes he is. He can’t have everything – flaky / crunchy things like croissants and crispy biscuits are too dangerous because little bits are at risk of being inhaled into his lungs = aspiration pneumonia = bad.

But if it can be squished and rolled into a rough ball shape, it’s fine!

Here he is, taste testing pikelets earlier this week. With jam and cream, of course.

Look at the intense concentration and focus in his eyes! (Well, perhaps wild-eyed excitement is a more accurate description 😂).

Thank you, as always, for the messages of concern, support, advice and suggestions you have shared as we’ve moved into Dozer’s senior years and with it, the inevitable problems that come with age.

In all honesty, he is doing so, so well. I truly believe getting back into a routine of good real food has made such a difference to his well being. I think he has more to go and I’m very committed to continuing with his physical therapy and ensuring he gets all the nutrition he needs.

He’s worth it. He’s an important company asset!! 😂

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