Braised mutton curry

Ingredients

1 kg diced mutton (or lamb)

1 cup thick Greek plain yogurt

1 tbsp sugar

4 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tbsp fresh ginger, chopped

1/4 cup olive oil

4 cardamom pods, crushed

1 tsp cinnamon

2 onions, sliced

2 large bell peppers (1 red, 1 green), sliced

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp sweet paprika

1 tsp garam masala

1 tsp fresh lemongrass, chopped

2 lemon leaves

1 cup stock (vegetable, chicken, meat)

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F).

In a hot frying pan, sear the diced mutton with a drizzle of olive oil until browned on all sides. Remove the meat and transfer it to an ovenproof casserole dish.

In the same pan, add more olive oil if needed and sauté the onions, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, and bell peppers for about 5 minutes until slightly softened.

Stir in the cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, chili powder, paprika, and garam masala. Toast the spices for 1 to 2 minutes to release their flavors.

Deglaze with the stock, mix well, and let simmer for 2 minutes. Pour this mixture over the mutton in the casserole dish.

Add the lemon leaves and Greek yogurt. Stir gently, cover, and bake for 3 to 4 hours until the meat is tender and falls apart easily.

Let rest, covered, for 30 minutes before serving.

Serve with rice and a side of yogurt to balance the spicy flavors.