Aromatic spices infuse this lamb curry with an exotic blend of flavors while coconut milk creates a creamy finish. Serve over basmati rice.
Curried Lamb with Cucumber-Dill Raita and Cashew-Raisin Chutney
Ingredients
For the curried lamb
- 2-1/2 lb. boneless lamb shoulder or leg, cut in 1-inch cubes
- 1 Tbs. sea salt
- 1 tsp. coarsely crushed black pepper
- 3 Tbs. vegetable oil
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp. ground coriander
- 2 tsp. ground cumin
- 2 medium onions, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 Tbs. grated fresh ginger
- 2 Tbs. peeled and finely chopped turmeric
- 1 can coconut milk (13-1/2 oz.)
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water
- 1/2 fresh small chile pepper, such as habanero, finely chopped
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- Chopped fresh cilantro, for serving
For the cucumber-dill raita
- 3/4 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt, preferably Chobani
- 1 small seedless cucumber, peeled and coarsely grated
- 3 Tbs. chopped fresh dill
- 2 tsp. minced garlic
- 2 tsp. chopped shallot
- 1-1/2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice; more if desired
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
For the raisin-cashew chutney
- 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted
- 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbs. chopped cashews
- 2 Tbs. raisins
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced and fried
- 2 tsp. toasted sesame seeds
- 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
- 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
- Fine sea salt
Instructions
Make the lamb
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Toss the lamb with the salt and pepper.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the lamb on all sides, about 4 minutes per batch. Transfer each batch to a plate as it’s done. Remove the pot from the heat and let it cool briefly.
- Return the pot to medium heat. Add the cinnamon, coriander, and cumin, and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the onions, garlic, ginger, and turmeric, and cook, stirring frequently and scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon or spatula, until the onions are beginning to soften, about 3 minutes.
- Stir in the coconut milk, broth, and chile pepper. Return the lamb to the pot and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover and put in the oven for 50 minutes, or until the lamb is tender.
Make the raita
- In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt, cucumber, dill, garlic, shallot, and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and additional lemon juice, if desired. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Make the chutney
- Combine the coconut, olive oil, cashews, raisins, garlic, sesame seeds, pepper flakes, and coriander in a medium bowl. Season to taste with salt. Cover and set aside until ready to use. The chutney can be stored in an airtight container at cool room temperature for up to 5 days.
Finish the lamb
- Add the cherry tomatoes to the curried lamb, cover and return to oven until the tomatoes have softened, about 20 minutes.
To serve
- Spoon the curried lamb into serving dishes and top each with fresh cilantro, the raita, and chutney. Serve right away.
