Lamb curry with Naan bread

Today I bring you a recipe that pays homage to spices: a very tasty lamb curry, that will fill the house with aromas that will whet the appetite of the whole family and make you enjoy the table to the fullest.

This lamb curry is ideal to cook slowly. You'll be dying to soak up the sauce with bread, so I also leave you the recipe for homemade naan bread. You'll see how easy it is to make!

I recommend making the recipe in a iron Shallow Casserole, casserole-style, but it is also ideal to prepare it in an iron tajine: it will favor the blending of flavors and you know that the tajine is the ideal utensil for aromatic recipes that require long, gentle simmering.

Le Creuset bowl-style glasses and low casserole, Le Creuset Shallow Casserole type

Ingredients

For the naan bread:

• 2 cups of pastry flour (approx. 250gr)
• 2 teaspoons of sugar
• 1 tablespoon of dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• ¼ teaspoon of baking powder (chemical leavening like Royal)
• ½ cup of warm water
• 3 tablespoons of plain yogurt
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of cumin seeds
• Melted butter for brushing
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed

For the lamb curry:

• 2 tablespoons of oil
• 1Kg boneless leg of lamb, cut into cubes
• 2 onions, chopped
• 3 large carrots, peeled and chopped
• 500gr baby potatoes, halved
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 2 tablespoons ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 2 tablespoons garam masala
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 can (400gr) crushed tomato
• 500ml beef stock
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh mint

Preparation

To make the naan bread:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl and make a well in the center.
3. In another bowl, mix the warm water, yogurt, olive oil and cumin seeds.
4. Pour the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients mixture and stir gently with a large spatula. Then use your hands to finish bringing the mixture together and form a workable dough (it won't seem like it at first but little by little you'll see how the mix comes together and homogenizes). Cover the bowl with a damp cotton towel and set aside in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size.
5. Place the dough on a floured surface and divide it into 6 pieces (you can do this with a knife or with a dough scraper). Using a rolling pin, flatten each piece of dough into a teardrop shape (narrower at the top than at the bottom).
6. Place the naans on a Le Creuset baking tray preheated in the oven and bake them for 5-8 minutes, until puffed and golden.
7. With the help of a kitchen brush, brush the naan breads with a little melted butter mixed with the crushed garlic.

To make the lamb curry:

1. Heat the oil in a casserole, Shallow Casserole-style and brown the lamb on both sides. Remove the meat from the casserole and set aside.
2. Add the onions, carrots and potatoes to the same pot, and sauté them until browned. Then add the garlic and the spices. Sauté for another minute or two, and add the tomato paste, the crushed tomatoes and the beef stock.
3. Return the lamb to the casserole and cover. Cook over medium heat for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. After that time, reduce the heat to low and remove the lid. Cook over very low heat until the liquid reduces and the curry is thick and delicious. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in the chopped mint.