Keralan Stir Fried Crispy Lamb Recipes

KERALA LAMB CURRY

Steps:

• To make the spice powder, dry roast the spices in a medium-sized skillet, over medium heat, and stir and toss them around for 1-2 minutes, or until they begin to look toasted and release their aromas.
• Immediately remove from heat and place the spices in a clean coffee grinder, and when cooled slightly, grind to a fine powder, then set aside.
• If you choose not to grate the coconut, cut the thinly sliced coconut flesh into ¼-½ inch dice.
• Next, wipe out the skillet with a paper towel, return to medium heat, and add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil.
• When hot, add the diced coconut, the turmeric and ½ teaspoon of salt, stir-fry for 3-4 minutes, or until the coconut is toasted, then set aside.
• Heat 2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large pan, preferably non-stick, over medium to high heat.
• Add 1 teaspoon mustard seeds, and stir a few seconds until they pop.
• Add 20 fresh curry leaves, 3 oz shallots, and all the ginger and garlic, and saute, stirring, for 3-4 minutes until the shallots are lightly browned.
• Now add the meat and the roasted ground spice mixture, and stir well to coat the meat with the spices.
• Toss in the toasted coconut dice and ½ teaspoon of salt, and then add the vinegar and 2½-3 cups water.
• Bring to the boil, cover, and simmer over low heat for 50 minutes to an hour until the meat is almost tender.
• Remove the lid and, increasing the heat if necessary, continue to cook for a further 10-15 minutes or until the sauce is thick and clings to the meat.
• Finally, heat the remaining tablespoon oil in a small skillet over medium heat, and when hot, add the urad dhal (optional) and the mustard seeds.
• Stir until the mustard seeds pop, and then add 2 oz shallots and 20 curry leaves, and stir-fry until the shallots are golden brown.
• Add this shallot mixture to the meat, stir well, remove from heat and serve with rice.

LAMB-FRY

Steps:

• In a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat, fry onion in oil until edges are nicely browned. Add garlic, ginger, and green chile and stir for 1 minute.
• Mix ground spices with water to form a paste; add to onion mixture. Stir briefly until spices release their fragrance.
• Add lamb and salt and fry over medium heat, stirring frequently util lamb is cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes. Taste for salt.
• Stir in lemon juice and remove from heat.

CRISPY LAMB BREAST WITH BROAD BEANS, CHILLI & MARJORAM

Steps:

• Heat oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1. Put the lamb on a chopping board. In a small bowl, mix the garlic, 1 tbsp flaky salt, rosemary and mustard into a paste. Rub on the inside of each lamb breast. Next, stack the breasts on top of each other and roll up the longest side into a sausage shape. Use the butchers string to tie knots along the length of the lamb.
• In a large, round casserole dish, heat the duck fat. When it reaches 100C on a cooking thermometer, add the lamb (you may need to curl it into the dish). Put the lid on, then cook in the oven for 4 hrs until tender. Remove the dish and leave to cool. Once the fat is cool enough, remove the lamb using two slotted spoons. Reserve the cooled fat as you will need 1 tbsp tomorrow, and save the rest to make roasties. Lay the lamb roll on some cling film, then roll as tight as you can. Chill on a baking tray in the fridge overnight.
• The next day, heat oven to 180C/ 160C fan/gas 4. Remove the cling film and string, and slice into 6-8 equal portions. On a plate, mix the flour and polenta, and season well. Dip each portion into the mixture. Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp of duck fat in an ovenproof frying pan.
• When the pan is hot, add the lamb. Seal each side for 2-3 mins until you get a golden, crispy crust. Sear the sides, then transfer the pan to the oven for 8 mins or until it's hot in the middle. Remove from the oven and put the lamb on a plate loosely covered with foil.
• Carefully put the pan back on the hob - you should have a good layer of lamb fat. Add your butter then, once foaming, add the shallots, broad beans and chilli. Stir-fry for 1 min, then add the vinegar and marjoram leaves. Season to taste, then remove from the heat. Serve immediately with the crispy lamb breast and reduced lamb stock.

STIR-FRIED LAMB WITH EGGPLANT AND CHILES

Steps:

• Cut the lamb into short strips, and the eggplant into 1/2-inch cubes.
• Stir-fry lamb in neutral oil until browned and set aside. Add the eggplant, salt and more oil if needed to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until nearly tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Add minced garlic, ginger and red chile flakes, and cook for another minute.
• Return lamb to the pan, add soy sauce and water, and cook until heated through. Garnish with cilantro.

CRISPY LAMB WITH CUMIN, SCALLIONS AND RED CHILES

Steps:

• In a bowl combine egg white, wine, cornstarch, salt and pepper. Add lamb and set aside to marinate 1 hour.
• Heat a large wok or skillet over high heat until a drop of water sizzles on contact. Swirl half the oil into wok and carefully add lamb, spreading it in a single layer. Let sear a moment, then stir-fry briskly just until lamb is no longer pink. Transfer to a plate. (If your wok is not large enough to hold all the lamb, do this in 2 batches, using extra oil.)
• Swirl remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil into empty wok, add cumin seeds and chiles and stir-fry a few seconds until cumin seeds start to pop. Press chiles against sides of wok to char their skins.
• Add scallions and stir-fry 1 minute. Then return lamb to wok and stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes more until lamb is cooked through. Turn off heat, sprinkle with salt and drops of sesame oil, and serve immediately.

CUMIN LAMB STIR-FRY

Steps:

• In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast cumin seeds and peppercorns until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a mortar and pestle and crush lightly.
• Slice meat across the grain into 1/2-inch-thick strips. Toss meat with crushed spices, ground cumin, salt and dried chiles.
• Peel onion and halve it through the root end. Trim the ends and cut each half lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Cut white and light green parts of scallions into 2-inch lengths. Thinly slice scallion greens; keep separate.
• Heat a very large skillet or wok over high heat until screaming hot, about 5 minutes. Add oil. Toss in onion and the scallion bottoms. Cook, tossing occasionally, until vegetables are lightly charred but still crisp, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
• Add lamb and chiles to skillet. Cook, tossing quickly, until meat begins to brown. Add garlic, soy sauce and sherry. Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated and lamb is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Toss in onions and scallion bottoms. Remove from heat and mix in cilantro and scallion greens. Serve hot, over rice.

CRISPY MONGOLIAN LAMB

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Put the lamb in a casserole dish with a lid. Add remaining ingredients plus enough water to just cover. Cook with the lid on for 3 hrs until the meat is tender and the bones pull out easily. Allow to cool still covered in the cooking liquid with the lid on. You can do this 1-2 days in advance and let the lamb cool completely in the fridge. This will make the next step easier.
• When cold, lift the lamb out of the liquid and transfer to a baking tray. Skim fat from the sauce. Reserve half the sauce for the noodles (in 'Try' section, below) and bubble the rest, still in the pan, until thick and syrupy. Pour into a small serving bowl. Heat grill to medium and grill lamb until crisp and hot through, but not too dark.
• Shred the lamb, discarding most of the fat and all the bones, but keep the nice, crisp skin. You can cut the skin off first and leave it in a hot oven while you shred the rest of the meat. To serve, take everything to the table and eat the lamb rolled up in the lettuce leaves with the cucumber, spring onions and sauce, plus the noodles on the side.