Lamb with whole spices and onions – Kharu gos

Ingredients:

• 450g boneless leg of lamb, cut into 2cm cubes (ask the butcher to cut the bone and give it to you)
• 1-2 peeled and cut into large pieces potatoes with a high starch content
• 1 chopped tomato (optional)
• 2-3 tablespoons of sunflower oil
• 1 cinnamon stick (2 cm long piece)
• 3-4 green cardamom fruits
• 1-2 black cardamom berries (if you have them)
• 2-3 cloves of garlic
• 2-3 dried chili peppers (broken or cut into pieces with scissors)
• 2 chopped onions
• 1 tbsp. ground cumin
• 1.5 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 heaping tbsp ginger-garlic paste (see recipe below)
• Salt
• Chopped fresh coriander leaves for garnish

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan until it begins to smoke. Add cinnamon, cardamom, garlic, and red chili pepper. Once the spices have softened and changed color, add the onion and fry until well-grilled.
   
   Add the meat and fry, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides. When the liquid in the pan has almost completely evaporated, add the ground spices and ginger-garlic paste and mix well.
   
   Then add a little salt and enough water (or broth) to barely cover the meat. Cover the pan tightly with a lid and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, trying to keep the edges of the pan clean.
2. Add the potatoes and stir well, then add the tomato (if using). Cover the pan again and simmer until the lamb and potatoes are tender. Taste for seasoning, adding a little chopped fresh cilantro. Stir in a little more for added flavor, if desired.
   
   Ginger Garlic Paste: Ginger-garlic paste is the basis for most Indian dishes. In many recipes, I list chopped garlic and ginger separately to make things easier. However, some recipes call for just the paste. Many supermarkets now sell jars of ginger paste and garlic paste separately. All you need to do is mix them together.
3. To make your own paste, take equal amounts of peeled garlic and fresh ginger and crush them into a paste in a mortar and pestle. Alternatively, puree them in a blender with a little water and vegetable oil (not olive oil), turning the blender off frequently to scrape the edges of the bowl. The paste can be refrigerated for up to 2 months, if you add a little oil to prevent it from spoiling.