Lamb With Butter Beans

Photo: flickr user ndrwfgg

Ingredients

150 grams Butter beans, washed, soaked overnight in plenty of cold

600 ml Cold water

1 1/4 teaspoons Salt or to taste

1 tablespoon Ginger paste

2 teaspoons Garlic paste

5 tablespoons Cooking oil

2 mediums Onions, finely chopped

2 Dried red chillies, up to 3

2 Cinnamon sticks, each2" long, broken

1 1/2 teaspoons Ground coriander

2 1/2 teaspoons Ground cumin

1 teaspoon Ground turmeric

1/2 teaspoon Chilli powder or to taste

1 inch kg Leg or shoulder of lamb, fat trimmed and cut into 1.25" cubes

2 tablespoons Tomato puree

2 Black cardamoms, split open the top of each pod, up to 3

6 whl cloves

175 ml warm water

Half a lemon, juice of

2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves

Preparation

Spice Paste: Make a paste of the Paste ingredients by adding 3 tbsp water.

Butter beans: Put the cold water and the butter beans in a sauce and bring the liquid to the boil. Partially cover the pan and cook over a low heat for 15 minutes.

Now cover the pan tightly and simmer the beans for about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and keep aside.

Heat oil over medium heat and add the onions, red chillies and cinnamon sticks. Stir and fry until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes.

Add the ginger and garlic pastes and stir and fry for 2-3 minutes.

Add the spice paste, adjust heat to low, stir and fry for a further 3-4 minutes.

Lamb: Add the meat, turn heat up to medium-high and fry for 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the tomato puree then add cardamoms, cloves and warm water. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer until the meat is tender, 55-60 minutes.

If using fresh butter beans add them, and the liquid in which they were cooked. Bring the liquid to the boil, cover the pan and simmer for 15 minutes. For canned butter beans simply add and simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and add the lemon juice and coriander leaves.

Serve with plain boiled rice or plain fried rice or Naan, Tandoori Roti etc.