A slow cooked Indian treasure! This madras lamb curry is rich, luxurious and intensely flavourful. Jam-packed with fragrance and personality - it just might be one of the finest Indian curries there is!
Coat the lamb with the turmeric, salt and sugar and toss around to fully coat. Set aside.
Mix together the curry powder and chilli powder and about ½ cup water to form a paste. Set aside.
Heat the ghee in a large pan until hot then add the cumin seeds and curry leaves. Let them sizzle for 10 seconds before adding the onion, garlic and ginger. Stir well to coat everything and then gently cook over a medium heat for 15 minutes until the onions are soft and golden.
Add the lamb and then the spice paste and stir well to incorporate everything. Turn up the heat a little and let everything come to a simmer over the next 5 minutes. The lamb will release a little liquid and the curry should form a thick sauce.
Pour in the coconut milk and 1 cup water and bring back to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and let the curry very gently simmer for 60 minutes with the lid on.
Remove the lid and let the curry simmer gently for a further 30-50 minutes (if you have bone in lamb it may take a little longer to reach a fork-tender texture. If the curry dries out too much, add some water, a little at a time.
Remove from the heat and stir in the tamarind and check for seasoning.
Notes
Suggestions for Serving and Storing
This curry pairs perfectly with fluffy basmati rice, as well as roti, chapati, naan, and paratha breads. To garnish, I like to keep it simple with just cilantro, but you could also serve it with my deliciously simple Kachumber Salad to balance out the richness.
For storage, leftovers can be kept in the fridge for up to a week in an airtight container. Lamb madras is also a great candidate for freezing, and can be stored in airtight containers for 3+ months. To reheat from frozen, simply microwave until piping hot, adding a 1/4 cup of water beforehand to prevent the sauce from drying out. Be sure to stir a few times during reheating to avoid scorching.