Ingredients

The following ingredients have 7 Servings
  • 100 ml ghee
  • 1.6 kg lamb neck, cut into 7cm pieces
  • 1½ onions, finely chopped
  • 80 gm ginger, coarsely chopped
  • 5 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
  • 1 piece cassia bark
  • 1½ tbsp garam masala
  • 1 tbsp ground ginger
  • 1 tbsp each coriander and cumin seeds, coarsely ground
  • 2-3 tsp ground Kashmiri chilli, or to taste (see note)
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • 200 gm plain yoghurt, plus extra to serve
  • To serve: diced cucumber
  • To serve: curry leaves (optional)
  • 60 gm blanched almonds
  • 50 gm finely grated coconut flesh
  • 3 tsp white poppy seeds
  • 2 tbsp ghee
  • 4 golden shallots, thinly sliced
  • 6 fresh curry leaves
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 4 cardamom pods, bruised
  • 1 piece cassia bark
  • Large pinch of saffron threads
  • 400 gm basmati rice, rinsed
  • 750 ml (3 cups) chicken stock
  • 1 Spanish onion, diced
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 3-4 small green chillies, or to taste

Instruction

  • Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a large wide saucepan over high heat. Season lamb neck well, then add to pan in batches and brown all over (5-7 minutes). Transfer to a plate.
  • Process onion, ginger and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped. Heat remaining ghee in the pan over medium heat, add onion mixture and cassia, and stir until very tender and starting to caramelise (20-25 minutes). Increase heat to high, add spices and stir continuously until fragrant (3-4 minutes). Return lamb to pan, stir to coat and add 1 litre water, season to taste and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer half-covered with a lid, stirring occasionally, until lamb is very tender and sauce is reduced to just cover meat (2-2¼ hours; add a splash of water if necessary during cooking). Remove lamb and set aside loosely covered with foil to keep warm.
  • For nut paste, meanwhile, preheat oven to 180C and roast almonds on an oven tray until toasted and golden (10-12 minutes). Cool briefly, then pound with a mortar and pestle with coconut flesh and poppy seeds until smooth, adding 2-3 tbsp of oil from the lamb sauce one at a time to help form a paste. Add to lamb with yoghurt, season well to taste and stir occasionally over a very low heat until sauce is thickened (20-30 minutes).
  • Meanwhile, for pilau, heat ghee in a large ovenproof saucepan over medium-high heat, add shallots and stir until fragrant and golden (about 5 minutes), then add curry leaves, garlic and spices, and stir until fragrant (1 minute). Add rice and stir until well combined (1 minute), add chicken stock and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, then cover with a lid, transfer to oven and bake until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed (15-20 minutes).
  • For onion lacha, toss onion, lime juice, chillies and a large pinch each of salt and ground white pepper in a bowl and set aside for flavours to develop (2 minutes).
  • Scatter korma with extra curry leaves and serve with pilau, onion lacha and yoghurt topped with cucumber and ground black pepper to taste.