| 1 | This indian dish is anything but understated. |
| 2 | It piles flavour upon flavour to stunning effect and would overwhelm milk-fed lamb. |
| 3 | Amazingly, for something so sumptuous, it is comparatively nutritionally sound, as it has been modified to eliminate most saturated fat. |
| 4 | However it is not for the meal-in-a-moment cook. |
| 5 | Cover 45 g of raisins and 30 g sultanas in boiling water. |
| 6 | Leave to soak. |
| 7 | Trim an 800 g boneless piece of young lamb (leg or shoulder) of all visible fat. |
| 8 | Put the piece in a large saucepan and add 3 cups of water, a tablespoon of lemon juice and 2 bay leaves. |
| 9 | Cover, bring to the boil, skim, and simmer very gently for about one hour or until a skewer glides into the meat with ease. |
| 10 | Remove the meat, setting it aside, and reduce the stock over high heat to about ?of a cup. |
| 11 | Reserve the stock and wash the saucepan. |
| 12 | Into a processor bowl put 2 large onions quartered, 6 cloves of garlic, 5 cm ginger roughly chopped, ?tablespoon ground cardamom, 2 tablespoons ground coriander, 1 teaspoon ground cloves, 1 tablespoon white poppy seeds, 45 g ground almonds and 1 teaspoon black pepper. |
| 13 | Process to a paste. |
| 14 | Chop finely a generous handful of fresh mint and have ready 200 g plain yoghurt (low fat yoghurt can be used). |
| 15 | Heat 2 tablespoons mono- or polyun- saturated oil in the saucepan, add onion and spice paste and fry, stirring, for about 3 minutes or until it is fragrant. |
| 16 | Add the mint and yoghurt and simmer gently till the sauce is thick and creamy. |
| 17 | Return the meat to the saucepan, spooning the sauce over it, cover and braise gently until the meat is heated through. |
| 18 | Add the reserved stock to the saucepan and stir through. |
| 19 | Continue to simmer uncovered until the stock is completely reduced. |
| 20 | Sprinkle over the meat and sauce 2 teaspoons garam masala, 1 teaspoon chilli powder and salt to taste if you regard it as necessary. |
| 21 | In a frying pan, heat a little oil and gently fry the drained sultanas and raisins, together with 45 g blanched slivered almonds, for about 5 minutes. |
| 22 | Add them to the saucepan and stir. |
| 23 | Infuse a few strands of saffron in a tablespoon of boiling water and add 1 ?teaspoons of rosewater. |
| 24 | Stir this mixture into the saucepan and heat for a minute or so more. |
| 25 | Slice the meat, which by now should be meltingly tender, and arrange on a serving dish. |
| 26 | Spoon the sauce over the meat. |
| 27 | Serve with rice. |
| 28 | Makes 4 to 6 servings |
