America's Test Kitchen LogoCook's Country LogoCook's Illustrated LogoAmerica's Test Kitchen LogoCook's Country LogoCook's Illustrated Logo

Lamb Curry with Figs and Fenugreek

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on August 22, 2007

Time

1¼ hours

Yield

Serves 4 to 6

Lamb Curry with Figs and Fenugreek

Ingredients

¼ cup vegetable oil (or canola oil)1 medium onion, sliced thin4 large cloves garlic, pureed1 piece fresh ginger (1 ½ inches), peeled and pureed1 ½ pounds boneless leg of lamb, trimmed and cut into ¾-inch cubes2 teaspoons ground cumin 2 teaspoons ground coriander ½ teaspoon fenugreek 1 teaspoon ground turmeric ½ teaspoon table salt plus more to taste3 plum tomatoes, chopped, plus 1 tablespoon juice, or ⅔ cup crushed tomatoes1 jalapeño chile, stemmed and cut in half through the stem end¼ cup dried figs, chopped coarse2 - 4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Before You Begin

Gather and prepare all your ingredients before you begin. Garlic and ginger may be pureed by hand or in a minichop food processor. If using a minichopper, process the garlic and ginger with 1 to 2 tablespoons of water until pureed. You may substitute a scant 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper for the jalapeño, adding it to the skillet with the other ground dried spices. Feel free to increase the wet (garlic, ginger, jalapeños, and onions) or dry spice quantities. Serve the curry with basmati rice.

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in large deep skillet or soup kettle, preferably nonstick, over medium-high heat until hot, but not smoking. Add onion to skillet; sauté until softened, 3 to 4 minutes.
  2. Stir in garlic, ginger, lamb, ground spices, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and tomatoes; cook, stirring almost constantly, until liquid evaporates, oil separates and turns orange, and spices begin to fry, 5 to 7 minutes, depending on skillet or kettle size. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until spices smell cooked, about 30 seconds longer.
  3. Add 2 cups water, jalapeño, and figs, and season with salt; bring to simmer. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until meat is tender, 30 to 40 minutes.
  4. Stir in cilantro. Simmer 3 minutes longer and serve.
Lamb Curry with Figs and Fenugreek

Lamb Curry with Figs and Fenugreek

Headshot of America's Test Kitchen
By America's Test Kitchen
4(2)
Save
Saved

Time

1¼ hours

Yield

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

¼ cup vegetable oil (or canola oil)
1 medium onion, sliced thin
4 large cloves garlic, pureed
1 piece fresh ginger (1 ½ inches), peeled and pureed
1 ½ pounds boneless leg of lamb, trimmed and cut into ¾-inch cubes
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
½ teaspoon fenugreek
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon table salt plus more to taste
3 plum tomatoes, chopped, plus 1 tablespoon juice, or ⅔ cup crushed tomatoes
1 jalapeño chile, stemmed and cut in half through the stem end
¼ cup dried figs, chopped coarse
2 - 4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Ingredients

¼ cup vegetable oil (or canola oil)
1 medium onion, sliced thin
4 large cloves garlic, pureed
1 piece fresh ginger (1 ½ inches), peeled and pureed
1 ½ pounds boneless leg of lamb, trimmed and cut into ¾-inch cubes
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
½ teaspoon fenugreek
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon table salt plus more to taste
3 plum tomatoes, chopped, plus 1 tablespoon juice, or ⅔ cup crushed tomatoes
1 jalapeño chile, stemmed and cut in half through the stem end
¼ cup dried figs, chopped coarse
2 - 4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Ingredients

¼ cup vegetable oil (or canola oil)
1 medium onion, sliced thin
4 large cloves garlic, pureed
1 piece fresh ginger (1 ½ inches), peeled and pureed
1 ½ pounds boneless leg of lamb, trimmed and cut into ¾-inch cubes
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
½ teaspoon fenugreek
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon table salt plus more to taste
3 plum tomatoes, chopped, plus 1 tablespoon juice, or ⅔ cup crushed tomatoes
1 jalapeño chile, stemmed and cut in half through the stem end
¼ cup dried figs, chopped coarse
2 - 4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Why This Recipe Works

For a deeply flavored curry, we sautéed onion and then added aromatic ginger and garlic with the meat, ground spices, and tomatoes. We then added a jalapeño chile, figs, and water and simmered until the meat was fully cooked and all the ingredients were melded and tender before finishing the dish with cilantro.

Before You Begin

Gather and prepare all your ingredients before you begin. Garlic and ginger may be pureed by hand or in a minichop food processor. If using a minichopper, process the garlic and ginger with 1 to 2 tablespoons of water until pureed. You may substitute a scant 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper for the jalapeño, adding it to the skillet with the other ground dried spices. Feel free to increase the wet (garlic, ginger, jalapeños, and onions) or dry spice quantities. Serve the curry with basmati rice.

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in large deep skillet or soup kettle, preferably nonstick, over medium-high heat until hot, but not smoking. Add onion to skillet; sauté until softened, 3 to 4 minutes.
  2. Stir in garlic, ginger, lamb, ground spices, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and tomatoes; cook, stirring almost constantly, until liquid evaporates, oil separates and turns orange, and spices begin to fry, 5 to 7 minutes, depending on skillet or kettle size. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until spices smell cooked, about 30 seconds longer.
  3. Add 2 cups water, jalapeño, and figs, and season with salt; bring to simmer. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until meat is tender, 30 to 40 minutes.
  4. Stir in cilantro. Simmer 3 minutes longer and serve.

Gift This Recipe

Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.

Appears In

Magazine

January / February 1997

More Like This

Recipe

Chicken Curry with Yogurt, Cilantro, and Zucchini

Average rating 4, 2 ratings.

Recipe

Lamb Curry with Whole Spices

Average rating 4.5, 11 ratings.

Recipe

Shrimp Curry with Yogurt and Peas

Average rating 3, 5 ratings.

Recipe

Beef Curry with Crushed Spices and Channa Dal

Average rating 4.5, 4 ratings.

Recipe

Chicken Curry with Spinach and Fenugreek

Average rating 4, 1 rating.

Keep Exploring

LambFruitIndianAsiaFruits & VegetablesMeatMain Courses
This is a members' feature.