Slow-Cooked Hyderabadi Leg of Lamb

Method

1. Peel and slice the onions. Peel and grate the garlic and the ginger. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy based frying pan over a high heat. When the oil starts to shimmer, reduce the heat to medium and add the cinnamon sticks, cardamom, and cloves and cook for just a minute. Next, add the sliced onions and sauté, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and lightly brown. This will take about ten minutes.

2. Add the grated garlic and ginger to the pan and sauté for one further minute. Stir in the turmeric, ground cumin and coriander and the chilli powder, cooking them for another minute or two before adding the tin of cherry tomatoes. Bring the pan to the boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for another five minutes, until you see the oil beginning to separate from the sauce.

3. Pour the sauce from the pan into your slow cooker and return the pan to the hob. Turn the heat up a little and sear the leg of lamb all over. Just pop it on the pan and turn it every few minutes until most of the surface of the meat is browned.

4. Add 500ml of beef or chicken stock and the Greek yoghurt to the slow cooker and stir them into the sauce. Now add the seared leg of lamb, turning it over in the pot and spooning over the sauce to make sure it is well coated. Pop the lid onto the slow cooker and cook on low for six hours until the lamb is very tender and pulls apart easily with a fork. If you want to speed up cooking just a little you can slow cook the lamb on medium for about four hours, but low and slow will give the best result.

5. When the lamb is done, remove it from the slow cooker, transfer it to a plate and cover it with some tin foil to keep it warm. Pour the sauce into a saucepan. Use a potato masher or a large fork to crush any cherry tomatoes that remain whole. Simmer the sauce over a medium heat until it reduces by one third, about ten minutes is perfect.

6. While the sauce is reducing, get the rice on. Put the basmati rice, butter, sultanas, turmeric, cloves and salt into a medium sized saucepan. Add 500ml of water and bring to the boil. When the water is bubbling and the butter has melted, stir the pot well and pop on a lid. Reduce to a simmer and cook for just six minutes, then turn off the heat and let the rice sit undisturbed for another five minutes or so. Fluff the rice with a fork just before you serve.

7. Make the onion relish once the rice is on the hob. Peel and very thinly slice the red onions. Deseed and very thinly slice the red chilli. Pop the sliced onion into a bowl along with the sliced chilli, lime juice, salt and chopped coriander. Toast the desiccated coconut in a dry pan until lightly browned, then add that to the bowl. Stir to combine well and set aside until you are ready to serve.

8. By now your sauce will be almost ready. Finish it by adding two teaspoons of garam masala and a large handful of freshly chopped coriander. Pour most of the sauce into a large serving bowl, add the whole cooked leg of lamb and spoon the remaining sauce over the meat. Scatter with little more chopped coriander and if you have some, a few tablespoons of crispy fried onions.

9. Serve the lamb in the middle of the table with the rice and relish on the side. You will not need to carve the meat, instead let everyone serve themselves by using a few large forks to tear away chunks of lamb and spoon over lots of that fabulous Hyderabadi curry sauce.