Grandma's lamb curry

Name: Grandma's lamb curry
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 2 h
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 500 g lamb leg steaks; Salt to taste; 3-4 tsp curry powder (Jaffna-style); 2 tsp dark roasted aromatic spice powder (see below); ½ tsp ginger, freshly grated; ½ tsp garlic, freshly minced; ½ cup coconut milk or cream; ¾ cup water; 1 large onion, roughly chopped; 2 sprig curry leaves; 5cm piece pandan leaf; 2 green chillies, sliced; 1 tsp roasted fennel powder (optional, see below); 2 cups coriander seeds; 20-25 dried chillies; 1 tsp fenugreek seeds; 2 tbsp black peppercorns; ½ cup cumin seeds; ½ cup fennel seeds; 15-20 cloves; 15-20 cardamom; 2 cinnamon stick; 2 sprigs of curry leaves; ⅕ cup cumin seeds; ½ cup fennel seeds; 1 sprig of curry leaves

Instructions

Prep:30minCook:1h 30min

Traditionally my grandmother prepared this dish with good quality farmed goat meat, using the slow cooking method. Though goat meat is not very popular in the Western cuisine, it is extensively eaten in Sri Lanka. Lamb works perfectly well for this curry. It is our family favourite and the foremost curry for Sunday lunches.

Updated at: Fri, 21 Mar 2025 14:30:47 GMT