Multipurpose lamb curry

Heat a good layer of oil in a casserole dish.


Add the following spices for about 10/20 secs in a sieve or big spoon.
1 whole nutmeg, roughly crushed
1 tbsp mace pieces
2 tbsp fennel seeds
2 sticks cinnamon
1 tbsp corriander seeds
When quickly fried, put in blender or grind somehow to rough powder. This is a nice Garam Masala mix.

When spices done put 3 lamb shanks (about 1.5kg/3lb) in hot oil and quickly brown. Take out when browned

Peel and blend about 6in Ginger. Add to oil and stir fry for about 5mins. Add:
1 tsp cayenne powder
1 tsp ground Ginger
1tbsp burnt onion powder
Almost all the garam masala (use the rest to garnish)

Fry for 1 min

Add and onion, a chopped fennel, sliced fresh chilli, carrot, bit of other chopped veg that you have lying around

Fry for about 3 mins

Add the lamb shanks and enough water/stock/wine/mixture to just cover (about 1.5 pints)
Bring to boil.
Cover with tight fitting lid and put in oven. 160*C for about 3hrs

When cooked, add a mix of 2tbsp flour with 5 tbsp water, some chopped corriander, juice of one lemon. Allow to cool. You should have a thick jellyish gloop

Now the interesting part...

Pick the meat off the bone. Should just fall off. Seperate into sensible portions. Should get at least four.
Keep one portion for butties, wraps or to have with chips and veg as an alternative Sunday roast.

Divide the sauce between remaining portions and do some of the following:

Thin with a bit of water and add rice for standard curry

Add a lot of water for a delicious soup

Mix in cooked lentils for lovely daal

Mix in cooked new spuds for nice casserole

Leave as a thick gloop, warm through and fill some chipatis

Mmmmmmmmmmm

Homemade Spices - Burnt Onion

Chop an onion into thin rings. Take a heavy pan and put a good layer of oil in. You need to be able to cover the onion rings. Heat the oil and add the rings. As the rings start to brown, turn the heat down. You want to get them a light brown colour & brittle texture over about 10 mins.
When done taken them out and put on kitchen towel to dry. When dry you should be able to crush them in a pestle & morter to a moist paste. This can be used as a garnish or a spice in other curries