Recipe: Low Fat Lamb Curry in Olive Oil

Lamb meat is healthy and flavourful, while also being an excellent source of high quality protein. Unlike more ‘mature’ meats, it’s low in saturated fats and high in iron, hence making it a healthy indulgence.

An average portion of lamb meat provides 45% of daily requirement of zinc which is essential for a healthy immune system and promotes growth as well as healing. Like iron, the zinc found in lamb meat is more easily absorbed in to the body when compared to zinc found in other sources. It’s also a great source for Vitamin B12, Thiamine, and trace elements like Selenium, Manganese and Copper.

Since lamb meat comes with so many health benefits, here is a scrumptious recipe for Low Fat Lamb Curry cooked in Olive Oil.

Ingredients:

• 800 grams of lean cuts of Lamb (with all the fat trimmed off)
• 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 Onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves of Garlic, chopped
• ½ cup Curry Paste
• 1 cup Meat or Vegetable Stock
• 400 grams Tomatoes, pureed
• 100 grams Baby Spinach, chopped finely
• Chopped Coriander Leaves to garnish
• Juice of 1 Lime (optional)

Cooking Method:

1. Chop the lamb in to 1 inch cubes. If you are making the curry paste from scratch, dry roast spices like coriander seeds, cinnamon sticks, cumin, cloves, dry ginger, red chillies, black pepper, green cardamom and black cardamom. Once evenly browned, these will infuse your kitchen with spicy aromas, telling you that they are done and it’s time to grind them to a paste. However, you can easily find ready-made curry paste in packets at most grocery stores.
2. Pour the olive oil in a heavy bottom non-stick pan. Add cubed lamb pieces in batches to brown on both sides, hence sealing in the juices of the meat within to enhance the flavour. Once all the meat is browned remove to a plate and use the same pan (with all the remaining meat juices clinging to the bottom) for further cooking.
3. Add the chopped onion as well as garlic and sauté till browned. Add the curry paste and cook together for about 3 minutes on low heat. Keep stirring to keep the masalas from sticking to the pan and burning. Once cooked, add the pureed tomatoes and the stock. Return the browned meat to the pan along with any juices and bring to a boil.
4. After the curry comes to a boil, reduce the heat and cover the pan, letting it simmer for about an hour so that the meat tenderizes and releases all its flavours in to the curry. Keep checking; once the curry begins to thicken, it is time to cook the gravy dish uncovered for the sauce to reduce.
5. Once the meat becomes tender and the gravy thickens to a desired consistency, add the spinach leaves. Cook uncovered for another 5 minutes so that the spinach wilts and blends in to the curry.
6. Do the taste test; add salt or seasoning if required. To serve, pour out in to a serving bowl and garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves.

How to eat: This healthy low fat lamb curry is best served with steamed rice (can be brown or white) or freshly made chapattis.