Ingredients

• 2 lobsters
• cooked and meat removed
• shells reserved for serving (optional)
• 3 small onions
• finely chopped
• 20g/¾oz fresh ginger
• grated
• 12 curry leaves
• 3 tbsp grated fresh coconut
• 5 tbsp coriander seeds
• 2 tbsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 8 tbsp tamarind pulp
• 1 litre vegetable stock
• 3 dates
• stones removed
• chopped
• 1 tbsp garam masala
• 1 tbsp chilli powder
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• 200ml/7fl oz coconut milk
• 3 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tsp sesame seeds
• 200g/7oz fresh ginger
• thinly sliced
• 1 green chilli
• slit open
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 100g/3½oz tamarind paste
• 100g/3½oz palm sugar
• pinch asafoetida
• 1 dried red chilli
• ½ tsp mustard seeds
• 5-6 curry leaves
• 400g/14oz sticky rice
• 150ml/5fl oz coconut milk
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander
• roughly chopped

Directions

• For the lobster curry
• place the onion
• ginger
• curry leaves
• coconut
• seeds
• peppercorns and a little water into a blender and blend until a smooth paste is formed.
• Put the tamarind pulp
• stock
• dates
• garam masala
• chilli powder and curry powder in a large pan and cook for 20-30 minutes to make tamarind stock.
• Heat a wok and add the paste. Once hot
• add 200ml/7fl oz of the tamarind stock and the coconut milk. Cook for 4-6 minutes.
• Drop the cooked lobster pieces in the curry mixture and cook for 1-2 minutes.
• For the ginger chutney
• heat two tablespoons of oil in a frying pan. Fry the cumin seeds for 1-2 minutes then add the sesame seeds
• ginger
• green chilli and chilli powder and season with a little salt.
• Stir for 2-3 minutes and then cover the mixture with a circle of greaseproof paper and let it cook slowly for 40-45 minutes until the ginger is almost cooked.
• Let the mixture cool then transfer to a food processor and blend to a fine paste with the tamarind paste and palm sugar.
• Heat the remaining oil in a separate pan
• add the asafoetida
• red chilli and mustard seeds. As the mustard seeds pop
• add the curry leaves
• stir for 30 seconds then pour into the ginger chutney mixture and mix well. Set aside.
• For the coconut sticky rice
• wash the rice 3 times and drain. Put the rice in a saucepan
• cover with coconut milk and water so the liquid is 2cm/1in above the level of the rice. Add the salt and cover with a lid and bring to the boil.
• Boil for 5 minutes
• then without opening the lid
• turn the heat off and leave to steam for 20 minutes.
• To serve
• pour or spoon the curry and lobster back into the shell (if using) and place on the serving plate. Put a spoon of ginger chutney alongside. Serve the coconut sticky rice in a separate serving bowl. Garnish with chopped fresh coriander.