Submerging and gently simmering the bone in the sauce creates a sort-of lamb stock within your curry. The flavour is massive – what a treat. The perfect way to use up a leftover roast lamb.
If you have lots of leftover meat the rest of the recipe is easily doubled. It also freezes beautifully; simply thaw, bring to a simmer and add the spinach just before eating.
The recipe below will easily feed four people. Add a tin of drained chickpeas to bulk out the lamb if required.
Ingredients
Leftover leg of lamb, with bone
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, halved and finely sliced
2-inch piece of ginger, very finely chopped
2 large cloves of garlic, very finely chopped
2 very heaped tbsp curry paste of your choosing (I like this quite hot)
1 8oz tin chopped tomatoes
1 red or orange bell pepper, chopped
1/2 tin of coconut milk
2 tbsp mango chutney
125g spinach, washed and larger stems removed
Method:
Remove as much meat as you can from the bone and cut the meat into chunks. Put the meat into a bowl and refrigerate for later.
In a large pot or dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, a pinch of salt and a good grinding of pepper. After about 5 minutes, add any leftover resting juices or jelly and a splash of water. Cook down for 10 – 15 minutes until soft and sweet. When the water has evaporated and the onions are golden, add the garlic and ginger. Cook for 1 minute, stirring often, then add the curry paste and cook for another minute, or until fragrant and sizzling. To the pot, add the tin of tomatoes and 1/2 tin of water. If you have one, submerge the lamb bone in the sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook, covered, over a very low heat for 1-2 hours (or as long as you have time for).
Carefully remove the lamb bone and take off any meat left on the bone. Add it to the chunked lamb you set aside earlier. To the pot, add the meat along with the chopped pepper, coconut milk and mango chutney. Bring back to the boil and lower the heat to simmer. Cook uncovered for 1.5 – 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of water if the sauce reduces too much.
Check the seasoning and add more salt or mango chutney if required. Just before serving, wilt in the spinach. Serve alongside some fluffy basmati rice and a warmed naan.
Tip: If you prefer a thicker sauce, before adding the spinach add 1 tsp of corn flour / corn starch dissolved in a bit of water and let it bubble until thickened.
Caroline Feeds 