Lamb Saag
Also known as Saagh Gosht, this is a popular Indian curry with spinach, whole spice flavours, chilli and meat. I use baby spinach in mine to avoid washing all the sand out of whole English Spinach, and ground garam masala so everything can be blended together nicely before the lamb is added. You can use goat for this too!
Serves 8
Preparation Time: 5 minutes / Cooking Time: 90 minutes + marination
INGREDIENTS
1.2 kg lamb (or goat)
1 tsp salt
1/2 lemon
2 brown onions
2 tbl ghee/coconut oil
1 tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 and 1/2 tsp Kashmiri Chilli powder
1/2 tsp paprika powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1 heaped tbl chicken stock powder (optional)
1 tbl garlic & ginger paste
2 cups boiling water
350g washed baby spinach
1/2 tsp whole pepper corns
5-10 whole dried chillies (optional, or even just a couple)
2 more cups boiling water
1/2 to 1 tsp salt (depending on if you use stock powder or not)
METHOD
Add the lamb (or goat), salt and juice from half a lemon into a medium bowl. Leave to marinate for at least 2 hours (over night is preferable).
Finely chop the brown onion.
Heat the coconut oil / ghee in a medium pot, on medium heat.
Fry the onion for 5 minutes until slightly golden brown.
Add the garam masala, turmeric, Kashmiri Chilli, paprika and coriander powders. Stir and fry for 2 minutes.
Add the chicken stock powder if using, and garlic and ginger paste. Stir and fry for further 2 minutes.
Add the boiling water and washed spinach. Cover and reduce heat to low. Let the spinach wilt for 2 minutes.
Remove lid and stir spinach. It should all be soft and wilted at this point. Shut heat and remove pot from the stove. Using a hand blender, blend everything in the pot until smooth.
Return to medium heat and add in the whole pepper corns, whole dried chillies, and the goat. Stir and simmer for 5 minutes to brown the goat.
Add the additional 2 cups of boiling water and salt. Reduce heat to low and cook for 60 to 90 minutes until spinach mix has reduced and goat is tender. NOTE - if the mixture bubbles off quickly / is too thick, but lamb is not yet tender, add half a cup of boiling water and simmer until lamb is cooked.
Serve hot with rice or chapati.