Name: Cardamom lamb hotpot
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 3 h 35 min
Total time: 4 h 15 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 2 large onions roughly chopped; 6 garlic cloves; 50g root ginger roughly chopped; 3 tbsp sunflower oil; 30 cardamom pods seeds removed and ground; 2 tsp ground coriander; 1kg lean diced lamb; 700ml lamb stock; 2 fresh red chillies deseeded and chopped; 3 tbsp tomato purée; 100g creamed coconut (from a block), chopped; 20 fresh curry leaves; 2 aubergines cubed; 400g bag spinach; 1 ½kg large new potato; 2 tbsp sunflower oil; 3 tbsp tamarind paste; ½ tsp turmeric; 1 tsp cumin seed; 10 fresh curry leaves

2 large onions
roughly chopped
6 garlic cloves
50g root ginger
roughly chopped
3 tbsp sunflower oil
30 cardamom pods
seeds removed and ground
2 tsp ground coriander
1kg lean diced lamb
700ml lamb stock
2 fresh red chillies
deseeded and chopped
3 tbsp tomato purée
100g creamed coconut
(from a block), chopped
20 fresh curry leaves
2 aubergines
cubed
400g bag spinach

For the potato topping

Method

step 1
Put the onion, garlic and ginger in a food processor and blend to a purée. Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the onion purée for 20 mins until starting to colour, stirring frequently. Add the cardamom and coriander, and fry a few mins more.
step 2
Stir in the lamb, fry until it starts to brown, then pour in the stock. Add the chilli, tomato purée, coconut and curry leaves, then cover and simmer for 1 hr. Add the aubergines and cook for 30 mins more until the lamb and aubergine are tender.
step 3
Meanwhile, make the potato topping. Boil the potatoes whole in their skins for 15-20 mins until just tender, then drain and cool. Also, wilt the spinach in a hot pan. Cool and squeeze in your hands to remove as much water as you can. Peel and thickly slice the potatoes, then toss with the oil, tamarind, turmeric, cumin seeds, curry leaves and seasoning.
step 4
Stir the spinach into the curry and spoon into one extra-large or two regular-size ovenproof dishe(s). Pile the potatoes on top and lightly press down. Dish can now be frozen, see below. If eating straight away, heat oven to 160C/180C fan/gas 4 and bake for 50 mins-1 hr (add 30-40 mins if using an extra-large dish). Serve with chutney and raita or an Indian salad made with chopped red onion, coriander, tomatoes, cucumber and lemon juice.