Ingredients

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp coriander seeds
• 2 tbsp fenugreek seeds
• 1 tbsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 cinnamon stick
• broken into pieces
• 5 cloves
• 1 tbsp ground turmeric
• 1½-2kg/3lb 5oz - 4lb 8oz lamb shoulder
• olive oil
• for drizzling
• 1 green bird's-eye chilli
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1.5cm/¾in piece fresh root ginger
• peeled
• 1 onion
• thinly sliced
• 12 curry leaves
• 3 cardamom pods
• 2 bay leaves
• 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 200ml/7fl oz beef stock
• 2 tsp tamarind juice
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 325g/11½oz chapati flour
• plus extra for dusting (available in some supermarkets and Asian grocers)
• 1½ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp oil
• 200g/7oz basmati rice
• 1 tbsp coriander leaves

Directions

• Put all of the curry powder ingredients into a spice grinder and grind to a fine powder. (Alternatively use a pestle and mortar.)
• Preheat the oven to 170C/150C Fan/Gas 2.
• Season the lamb all over with salt and pepper and 2 tbsp of the curry paste. Place the lamb in an ovenproof dish and drizzle with olive oil. Cook in the oven for 2-4 hours.
• In a small food processor
• blend the chilli
• garlic and ginger to a paste
• adding a splash of water if necessary.
• Place a pan over a high heat and add the onions (add a splash of oil to the pan if it is too dry). Fry for 2-3 minutes
• or until softened and starting to colour.
• Add 2½ tablespoons of the curry powder to the pan along with the garlic
• chilli and ginger paste
• curry leaves
• cardamom and bay leaves. Stir well and cover with the chopped tomatoes
• beef stock and tamarind juice. Season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover the pan with a lid and simmer over a low heat for 30-40 minutes.
• Once the lamb has cooked
• allow it to rest for at least 20 minutes. Shred the lamb meat and stir it into the sauce. Add the coriander just before serving.
• For the chapatis
• sift the flour and salt into a large bowl and gradually mix in about 200ml/7fl oz water to form a soft dough (you may not need all of the water). Cover and set aside to rest for 10 minutes.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface
• lightly knead and then divide equally into 12 balls. Roll out each ball as thinly as possible. Heat a frying pan over a high heat and add the oil. Cook the chapatis one at a time
• frying for 1-2 minutes on both sides or until golden-brown and puffed up.
• Place the rice in a saucepan and add 350ml/12fl oz salted water and bring to the boil. Cook over a low heat until the water has evaporated
• then remove from the heat
• cover with a lid and leave to steam for 10 minutes. When the rice is cooked
• stir through the coriander leaves
• To serve
• put the curry in a shallow serving bowls and serve the rice and chapatis on the side.