Lamb Curry

Ingredients

• 2 lbs boneless (or 3 lbs bone-in) lamb stew meat, lamb shanks, and/or lamb shoulder steaks
• 2 onions, chopped (about 3 to 4 cups)
• 3 to 5 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 to 3 tbsp ghee (clarified butter), or 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil with 1 tbsp butter
• 2 to 3 tbsp curry powder, to taste
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 2 slices lemon, with rind (use 3 slices if using Meyer lemons)
• 2 apples, peeled and chopped, preferably tart green Granny Smith (about 2 cups)
• 1/4 cup golden raisins
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1 1/2 lbs small potatoes, quartered
• 2 cups basmati rice
• Chutney and/or yogurt, to serve

Instructions

1. Heat the ghee or butter-with-olive-oil in a large, thick-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches if necessary, brown the lamb well on all sides and remove from the pan.
2. Lower the heat to medium-low and add the curry powder to the ghee or oil. Cook gently for a minute or two.
3. Add onions and garlic and cook for 5 minutes.
4. Return the lamb to the pan and add the coriander, black pepper, cumin, rosemary, thyme, sliced lemon, apples, raisins, chicken stock, and salt.
5. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, and cover the pot. Alternatively, place the pot in a 300°F oven. Cook for 2 hours until the meat is falling off the bone.
6. Add the quartered potatoes and cook until tender, about 45 minutes more.
7. While the curry is cooking, prepare the rice. Put 2 cups of basmati rice in a medium thick-bottomed pot. Add 3 cups of water, 1 tbsp butter or ghee, and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a low simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.
8. Remove rice from heat, keep covered, and let steam for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
9. To serve, pull the meat off the bones or leave it on. Taste for salt and add more curry powder or cayenne if you want it spicier. Serve over rice with chutney and/or yogurt drizzled on top.