One of the prized meals that really makes me appreciate growing up in a South African Indian household is a braised lamb and cabbage curry, this dish is not widely know in other parts of the world but it is absolutely superb!
Despite lamb being known as a more expensive protein, this dish really helps to stretch a small amount and feed an entire family quite cost effectively.
Let’s get cooking…
Start by frying the onion and whole spices in oil until soft. Add in turmeric, Kashmiri chilli powder and curry powder and fry for a few seconds then add ginger and garlic paste and fry until fragrant. Add in tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, the oil should look like it bubbling to the top.
Next add in the lamb and salt and ground spices and stir thoroughly. Allow to sauté for 5-10 minutes then add in ½ cup water. Simmer on low-medium heat until lamb is beginning to soften, about 30 minutes. Stir regularly and add water as needed to allow lamb to cook.
Add in the cabbage chunks, stir gently and allow to cook for a further 30 minutes. The cabbage should wilt down and become soft and buttery.
Garnish with coriander and serve with steamed rice or roti’s and a simple carrot salad.
Swaps…
This dish can be made completely vegan by swapping out the lamb chunks for soya or seitan chunks and following the same process.
Ingredients
500g cubed lamb shoulder
1/2 small cabbage, cut into large chunks
½ onion, finely sliced
1 small tomatoes, pureed
1 tsp ginger and garlic past, or you can crush ginger and garlic separately
3 cinnamon sticks
½ tsp fennel seeds
2 cardamom pods
1 black cardamom pod
1 star anise
2 bay leaves
4 cloves
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground coriander seed
½ tsp garam masala
¼ tsp turmeric
½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
2 tsp curry powder, depends on heat preference
2 tbsp oil, coconut or vegetable oil
Salt to taste
1 tsp coriander, chopped
Directions
- Fry onion and whole spices in oil until soft
- Add in turmeric, Kashmiri chilli powder and curry powder and fry for a few seconds then add ginger and garlic paste and fry until fragrant
- Add in tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, the oil should look like it bubbling to the top
- Next add in the lamb and salt and ground spices and stir thoroughly
- Allow to saute for 5-10 minutes then add in ½ cup water
- Simmer on low-medium heat until lamb is beginning to soften, about 30 minutes. Stir regularly and add water as needed to allow lamb to cook.
- Add in the cabbage chunks, stir gently and allow to cook for a further 30 minutes. The cabbage should wilt down and become soft and buttery.
- Garnish with coriander and serve with steamed rice or roti’s and a simple carrot salad
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