Lamb and Coconut Cream Curry

Prep Time: 0:20
Cook Time: 0:35
Serves: 4

Ingredients / Shopping List

4 lamb leg steaks

Level tablespoon flour

2 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 leek

2 carrots

200ml chicken stock

125ml small tin coconut cream

Half bunch fresh coriander

Stick cinnamon bark

1 fat clove of garlic

2 centimeter portion of root ginger

2 star anise

1 level tsp turmeric

1 tsp garam masala

Level tsp salt

2 small thin green chillies

1 small fresh lime
 

Prep to Cook: Chopping board, veg knife, potato peeler, garlic press, tin opener, jug, teaspoons.

Prep: 1.  Prep the vegetables:

Peel the carrots and trim ends

Using a peeler press firmly and shred ribbons from the carrot

Keep making ribbons until the carrot is used up

Store the carrot ribbons to use later

Trim the leek roots and shoots

Wash the greener end to ensure no soil remains trapped

Slice the leek into circles about half a centimetre thick

Trim chillies removing the stalks

Split the chillies and scrape away the seeds (too hot to use!)

Dice the chillies

Peel garlic and grate or pass through garlic press

Peel ginger and slice thinly

2.  Prep the spices

Measure the turmeric and garam masala and salt and place with bark and star anise

Wash the coriander in cold water and put some on one side for decoration

Dice remaining fresh coriander ready to use when serving

3.  Prep the curry:

Prepare the meat – sprinkle the steaks with flour on both sides

On the hob in a deep sided frying pan, fry spices with oil

Add the garlic and ginger and chillies and stir well

Add the sliced leeks and continue frying until golden tinges appear

Add the floured lamb steaks and fry until colour changes stirring well

Pour in the stock and most of the coconut cream

Stir thoroughly to clean the pan base thus gaining flavours

Cover with foil or a lid and simmer very gently for 25 – 35 minutes

Test the lamb – it should be firm but remain pink in the centre

Serve the meat onto the plate

Immediately return the juices to the hob removing the bark and star anise

Add 100ml water and the remaining coconut cream.  

Stir in the carrot ribbons and bring to the boil

Simmer for 2 minutes only

Serve the vegetables mixture with the meat

Sprinkle with fresh coriander and a good squeeze of lime juice.
 

Check it out!

Lamb and coconut cream curry is hot yet fragrant, bursting with mid range flavours and delicious when served with rice or new potatoes. The carrot ribbons add a beautiful colour and texture and really make this recipe special.

You can use coconut milk instead of the coconut cream.  Reduce the stock in this case to 100ml.

Recipe Science

Cooks Know How: You will experience handling meat portions and you will prepare a range of vegetables.  You will mix spices with chilli to get a great flavour.  You will see how frying off the meat and veg provides a wonderful golden glaze on the base of the pan that can be dissolved (by rubbing a wooden spoon over the browny bits) to give deeper colour and richer flavour to the sauce. Of course it also makes washing the dish easier too.