Coriander lamb balti
The speed in which a balti is prepared depends on the preparation. The sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 days or in the freezer for a week. The combination of pounded and ground spices works really well together. The coriander balti sauce and the lamb can be made in advance. Did you know that Balti refers both to its area of origin and the dish in which the food is cooked and served at the table? The balti pan is a round bottomed, wok like, heavy cast iron dish with two handles.
Ingredients
Coriander balti sauce
6 tomatoes
75 ml (5 tbsp) oil
10 ml (2 tsp) ginger paste
10 ml (2 tsp) garlic paste
30 ml (2 tbsp) coriander seeds, crushed
5 dried red chillies, crushed
2,5 ml (½ tsp) turmeric
salt to taste
boiling water
Lamb
1,2 kg leg of lamb, cubed or lamb knuckles, sliced
5 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
5 whole cloves
2 bay leaves
2 cinnamon sticks
2 litres (8 cups) water
30 ml (2 tbsp) oil
1 onion, finely chopped
10 ml (2 tsp) ginger paste
30 ml (2 tbsp) coriander seeds, crushed
2 dried red chillies, crushed
10 ml (2 tsp) red chilli powder
500 ml (2 cups) coriander balti sauce
5 ml (1 tsp) garam masala
75 ml (5 tbsp) chopped fresh coriander
750 ml (3 cups) cooked Spekko Saman Brown Rice
salt to taste
Method
1.Balti sauce: Place tomatoes in a glass bowl and cover with boiling water. Allow to stand for a few minutes. Plunge tomatoes into ice water and strain. The skin should be easy to peel off the tomatoes. Liquidise in a food processor.
2.Heat oil in a saucepan and sauté ginger and garlic paste. Add coriander seeds and chillies. sauté for a few seconds, add tomatoes, turmeric and salt. Simmer until the oil separates from the cooked tomatoes.
3.Lamb: Place lamb, salt, cardamom, cloves, bay leaves and cinnamon sticks in a large pot with the water. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and gently simmer for 1-1½ hours or until the lamb is tender. Spoon lamb from pot and set aside.
4.Heat oil in another pot, add onion and sauté until golden brown. Add ginger, coriander and dried chillies. Add chilli powder with the lamb immediately – this has to be done with care and speed as the dish will be ruined if the spices burn.
5.Coat lamb in the masala and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes. Pour in the balti sauce. Stir-fry lamb until the sauce thickens and coats the lamb. Adjust the seasoning and sprinkle over garam masala and fresh coriander. Serve with Spekko Brown Rice.
From the Spekko kitchen
Adjust the chilli according to your taste. Remember dried chillies are often stronger than fresh chillies and removing the seeds will reduce the strength slightly.