Lamb Curry with Brinjals

We love a good curry! And we knew we’d get a great recipe for this classic from local food icon Ina Paarman. From spices, salad dressings and pasta sauces to the famous chocolate cake mix, the range of Ina Paarman products have served our nation wonderfully. Ina Paarman’s recipes are meticulously tested and can be trusted to the pinch — here’s how to make her fragrant Lamb Curry with Brinjals . Download printable version of this recipe.

Lamb Curry with Brinjals | Ina Paarman (Serves 6)

MEAT
1 kg lamb shanks cut into 5 cm lengths, or bone in shoulder of lamb cut into 6 pieces – ask the butcher to do this for you
1 onion, coarsely chopped
2½ cups (625 ml) boiling water
2 T (30 ml) vegetable stock powder

CURRY SAUCE
4 onions, finely chopped
2 t (10 ml) Ina Paarman’s Garlic & Herb Seasoning
4 T (60 ml) canola oil
1 medium brinjal (eggplant), cut into small blocks
1 green pepper, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, finely sliced
2 T (30 ml) medium curry powder
1 t (5 ml) ground coriander
2 t (10 ml) turmeric
6 cardamom seeds – split the husks and use only the seeds inside
1 T (15 ml) fresh ginger, grated
1 red or green chilli, finely sliced
1 x 3 cm piece of cinnamon bark
5 ripe tomatoes, halved and grated
2 t (10 ml) sugar
2 cups (500 ml) stock from cooked meat
1 T (15 ml) cornflour mixed with 1 T (15 ml) water
Juice of ½ lemon
Fresh coriander to garnish

[TIP: One gets superb results if you cook the meat until tender beforehand and then marry it to the sauce]

METHOD
1. In a heavy based saucepan with a tight fitting lid, simmer the meat very slowly with the onion, water and stock powder. It will take about 2-2½ hours to get the meat fork tender. Remove the fat and gristle – reserve the stock.

2. To make the curry sauce. Season the onions with Garlic & Herb Seasoning. Sauté the seasoned onions, brinjal and green pepper slowly in the canola oil until soft and beginning to brown. Add the garlic, curry powder, coriander, turmeric and husked cardamom seeds. Cook gently while stirring to develop the spice flavours.

3. Add ginger, chilli, cinnamon bark, grated tomato pulp, sugar and half of the remaining stock from the meat. Simmer the sauce very slowly for 10 minutes.

4. Add the cooked meat and remaining stock. Thicken with cornflour mixture by just bringing it to the boil. Leave to stand overnight (in the fridge) or for a few hours at room temperature. This allows the flavours to develop and gives the meat time to absorb the lovely curry flavours.

5. Reheat and serve with rice and sambals like chutney, banana in yoghurt, finely chopped tomato and onion etc.

[TIP: For a thicker more traditional curry, replace the brinjal (eggplant) with 2 medium/large potatoes].