Lamb Stew

This is an easy, very flavorful lamb stew.

It is an eastern lamb recipe, with coconut, chilli peppers, ginger, curry leaves and cinnamon.

I love recipes like this - recipes that evoke the charm and flavors of another country, but use ingredients I am familiar with and don't take all day to cook.

It is wonderful to explore the cuisines of other cultures, I just don't want to take all day over a hot stove to do it.

This delightful lamb curry recipe is a mixture of coconut, chili peppers, cinnamon and other spices. The mixture produces a rich taste that pairs perfectly with the lamb.

You can make the recipe as mild or as spicy as you like buy adding more or less chili peppers.

If you really like it spicy, chop the chili peppers before you add them. To keep the heat down, leave them whole and remove them before serving.

I think you will really like this one.

Lamb Stew

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 60 minutes

2 cups canned moist coconut (or see below to use coconut milk)
2 cups hot water
2 pounds lamb, cut in 1 inch cubes
2 - 3 green chili peppers
1 inch ginger, cut in thin strips
2 large onions, diced
2 inch piece of cinnamon stick
6 cloves
2 cardamom pods
6 - 7 curry leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons clarified butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon flour

Blend together the coconut and water until smooth.

In a large saucepan, put the lamb, chilli peppers, ginger, onions, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, curry leaves, salt and about 2 cups of the coconut and water mixture. Bring to a boil. Cover, lower heat, and simmer for 45 minutes. Add the remaining coconut water mixture and cook another 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.

In a small pan, heat the clarified butter and fry the onion until lightly browned. Add the pepper and the flour and cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly. Add a little of the meat juices and mix until smooth. Add this to the stew and bring to the boil, stirring constantly. Cook for about 1 minute more.

Serve hot with rice.

Serves 6.

• If you can't find canned coconut, instead of the canned coconut and water mixture, you can use canned coconut milk and add grated coconut to it. I would use 2 to 3 cans of coconut milk and 1 cup of grated coconut.