Ingredients

• 1 onion
• roughly chopped
• 2 plump green chillies (deseed first if you prefer)
• 15g/½oz chunk fresh root ginger
• peeled and roughly chopped
• 4 garlic cloves
• roughly chopped
• 1 tsp flaked sea salt
• 2 tsp garam masala
• ¼ tsp hot chilli powder
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• freshly ground black pepper
• 600g/1lb 5oz lean minced lamb
• 3 heaped tbsp finely chopped
• fresh coriander leaves
• thick natural yogurt and fresh coriander
• to serve (optional)
• 3 tbsp ghee or sunflower oil
• 2 onions
• roughly chopped
• 4 garlic cloves
• finely chopped
• 25g/1oz chunk fresh root ginger
• peeled and finely chopped
• ½ -1 tsp hot chilli powder
• 1 tbsp garam masala
• 4 large ripe tomatoes
• roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 tsp flaked sea salt
• ½ tsp caster sugar
• 500ml/18fl oz lamb stock (made with ½ lamb stock cube)
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 bay leaves
• cooked rice
• thick natural yogurt
• fresh coriander leaves

Directions

• Put the onion
• chillies
• ginger
• garlic
• salt
• garam masala
• chilli powder and tomato purée in a food processor. Season with lots of freshly ground black pepper. (For a great flavour add more than you imagine you’ll need.)
• Blend the ingredients into a paste as smooth as you can get it. You’ll need to remove the lid of the food processor and push the mixture down with a spatula 2-3 times. Add the lamb and blend once more. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the coriander. Cover the dish with cling film and chill for 1-3 hours
• or overnight
• to allow the mixture to stiffen and the meat to absorb all the wonderful spices.
• To make the sauce
• heat the ghee (or oil) in a large non-stick saucepan or sauté pan and gently fry the onions
• garlic and ginger for about 10 minutes
• or until softened and lightly browned
• stirring regularly. Add the chilli powder and garam masala and cook for 20-30 seconds
• stirring constantly.
• Stir in the roughly chopped tomatoes and cook for 3-4 minutes over a high heat
• or until they soften and release their juice
• stirring constantly. Add the tomato purée and sprinkle with the salt and sugar and pour over the lamb stock. Season with lots of ground black pepper
• add the cinnamon and bay leaves and bring to a simmer. Cover the sauce loosely with a lid and cook for 20 minutes
• stirring occasionally.
• While the sauce is simmering
• make the meatballs. Take a small portion of mince mixture at a time and roll into a smooth ball – a little smaller than a walnut in its shell. You should be able to make around 24 balls. If your mince becomes a little sticky
• either roll with wetted hands or dust your hands with plain flour as you roll. Put on a plate as soon as each one is rolled.
• Remove the pan with the sauce from the heat after its 20 minutes are up and discard the cinnamon stick and bay leaves – they will be easy to pick out with a fork or tongs. Blend the sauce with a stick blender until as smooth as possible. (If you don’t have a stick blender
• leave to cool for a few minutes then transfer to a food processor and blend to a purée.)
• Return the sauce to the heat and stir in 200ml/7fl oz water. Bring to a gentle simmer. Drop all the meatballs gently into the bubbling sauce and return to a simmer. Cook
• uncovered
• for a further 30-35 minutes
• or until the meatballs are tender and the sauce is thick
• stirring regularly. If the sauce reduces too far or begins to stick on the bottom of the pan
• add a little extra water and continue cooking. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve the meatballs with rice
• topped with thick natural yogurt and fresh coriander leaves if you like.