My Sri Lankan Lamb Curry

Ingredients

For meat seasoning

• 1kg x Lamb pieces, washed. Ideally mixed lamb which includes pieces with bone. Else by a few chops separately. Bone enhances the flavour
• ~3-4 tablespoons of white vinegar (less if adding greek yogurt)
• 1/2x lemon or lime
• Fresh ground black pepper
• Sea salt (use a little less if adding Maggi Liquid Seasoning as it’s salty)
• 3-4x teaspoon Sri Lankan curry power (else Indian, but this will make a difference to the overall taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1-2x teaspoon chilli flakes (adjust to taste)
• 1x teaspoon Italian style garlic puree
• 1-2x teaspoon Italian tomato puree
• (optional) 2x dashes (~1/2 teaspoon) Dunn’s River Jamaican Style hot sauce
• (optional) Maggi Luquid Seasoning
• (optional) 3 table spoons Greek style yogurt (this is Indian/Pakistani style influenced addition of mine)

For cooking

• ~2x tablespoons olive oil (or coconut oil)
• 1/2 x Onion, chopped
• Pinch of salt and black pepper
• ~1x Rampa aka pandan leave ( ~4 x 1 inch of pieces)
• 1x fresh chili chopped (adjust to taste). Use scotch bonnet or similar for unique taste and heat. Can remove seeds to reduce heat.
• 3-5 cloves of garlic. Peel skin and mince.
• 1x teaspoon Cumin
• 1x teaspoon Black mustard seeds
• ~1x branch Karapincha aka Sri Lankan/South Indian curry leaves (at least 10 individual leaves)
• 1inch ginger, peeled (you can grate that in)
• small stick of Sri Lankan cinnamon
• (optional) Roasted curry powder / Kalu pol mix
• (optional) 1/2 cup Coconut milk

Method

prep

• Season meat:

  • put meat in a large bowl.
  • add all the seasoning ingredients, starting with the liquid so follow the list order for ease, then mix.
  • Be fairly generous with the salt and pepper seasoning but adjust to taste.
  • Get hands in there and mix well working all the ingredients into the meat (~3-6mins).
  • Cover and leave to marinate for at least 1hr. 3-4hrs or overnight is ideal.

Cooking(when the meat has seasoned):

• Put the olive oil in a large pot and heat.
• When the oil is hot, reduce heat to medium, put the onion in. You want the onion to sizzle but not burn. Tweak heat up or down as needed. Varies based on the cooker and pot being used.

• After a couple minutes, when onions are translucent, add the following and fry for a ~2mins:

  • pinch of salt
  • pinch of ground/cracked black pepper
  • Pandan leaves
  • fresh chili

• Then add and stir:

  • Black mustard seeds
  • Cumin

• After ~1min, add:

  • chopped garlic
  • curry leaves
  • grate the ginger in
• stir everything, make sure it’s not burning but lightly sizzling, you want to get it to golden brown colour
• When golden then add the meat in, and keep the bowl don’t wash.
• Stir the meat so all the onions etc. cover the meat. 1-2min, then turn the heat down from medium to medium-low (number 3).
• Add a few dashes (3-4 tablespoons not too much) of water to the meat bowl you put aside and get all the seasoning that around the bowl. Pour it into the pot.
• Stir the meat a little. Make sure it evenly spread in the pot. Any seasoning stuck to the inside of the pot above the liquid should be push down with a spoon. Sprinkle the roasted curry powder and/or kalupol mix.
• Cover with a lid. Cook on medium-low heat for ~45mins. It’s important to make sure we don’t cook the meat fast on the boil. Check 10min in to make sure it’s boiling vigorously, we want a nice gentle bubbling. Adjust heat as needed.
• ~30mins in, give it a little stir. Add the coconut milk (optional).
• ~45mins in reduce the heat down further to low, no bubbling, for another 10-15mins.
• Turn off the heat completely. Let it rest in the pot for at least 20-30mins. Let it cool down a bit.
• Now you are ready to lap it up :)