Rogan josh (spicy slow-cooked lamb curry)

Ingredients

• 5cm piece Ginger
• 8 Garlic cloves
• 1 tsp Ground turmeric
• 1 tsp Crushed black peppercorns
• 4 tbsp Natural yoghurt
• 1kg Lamb shoulder
• 3 Red onions
• 2 Red peppers
• 4 Fresh red chillies
• ½ bunch (15g) Fresh coriander
• 3 Green cardamom pods
• 3 Whole cloves
• 1 Cinnamon stick
• 1 heaped tsp Cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp Coriander seeds
• 4 Small dried red chillies
• 2 tsp Paprika
• Groundnut oil
• 3 Ripe tomatoes
• 1 x 400g Tin of plum tomatoes
• ½ bunch (15g) Fresh mint
• Desiccated coconut flakes

Method

1. 1Peel and finely grate the ginger and garlic, place in a large bowl with the turmeric, peppercorns and yoghurt, and mix together.
2. 2Cut the lamb into rough 5cm chunks, toss into the bowl to coat, then cover and leave in the fridge to marinate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
3. 3When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 170C/325F/gas 3.
4. 4Peel and halve the onions, deseed and roughly chop the peppers, then blitz in a food processor with 3 of the chillies (deseed if you like) and the coriander stalks (reserving the leaves) until fine. Finely slice the remaining chilli and put aside.
5. 5Crush the cardamom pods and place just the inner seeds in a large casserole pan on a medium heat. Add the cloves, cinnamon, cumin and coriander seeds, and dried chillies. Toast until golden and smelling fantastic, then tip into a pestle and mortar and grind up with the paprika.
6. 6Using the same pan, heat a splash of groundnut oil on a medium heat. Add the ground spices for 1 to 2 minutes, then add the blitzed veg and cook for 10 minutes, stirring regularly.
7. 7Roughly chop the fresh tomatoes and add to the pan with the tinned tomatoes, breaking them up with a wooden spoon, and 1 tin's worth of water.
8. 8Add the marinated lamb and a good pinch of sea salt, stir well and bring to the boil. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and place in the oven for 2 hours, or until the meat is super-tender and the sauce has thickened.
9. 9Have a taste and adjust the seasoning. You can add a bit of yoghurt to cool it down and a splash of water if too thick.
10. 10Pick the mint leaves, then roughly chop with the reserved coriander leaves. Scatter over the curry with the sliced chilli and coconut. Serve with rice, Indian bread and a bowl of yoghurt.