Lamb and apricot Cape Malay curry

Creating your own Cape Malay curry powder gives a fresher, fruiter and full-bodied flavour to this dish

Ingredients

• 1 shoulder of lamb (approximately 1kg/2lb 4oz), diced

For the lamb marinade

• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tbsp tamarind paste
• 2 tsp dried chillies
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 1 red chilli, finely chopped
• 1cm/½in piece fresh root ginger, finely grated

For the curry

• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 2 onions, thinly sliced
• 2 tsp dried chilli flakes
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1cm/½in piece fresh root ginger, finely grated
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• large handful dried apricots, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp apricot chutney
• 100g/3½oz desiccated coconut
• bunch fresh coriander, roughly chopped, to serve
• 50g/1¾oz fresh coconut, grated, to serve

For the couscous

• 500g/1lb 2oz dried couscous
• 1 small cucumber, diced
• 1 pomegranate, seeds only
• bunch fresh basil, roughly chopped
• bunch flatleaf parsley, roughly chopped
• bunch fresh coriander, roughly chopped
• handful dried apricots, roughly chopped
• 4 spring onions, roughly chopped

Method

1. To make the lamb, mix all the marinade ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the lamb and gently massage until completely covered in the marinade. Cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

2. To make the curry, heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the onions, chilli, fennel, garlic and ginger until soft and then stir in the tomato purée.

3. Stir in the tinned tomatoes and add the marinated lamb. Pour in enough water so the lamb is just covered and simmer for about 1 hour.

4. Add the dried apricots, chutney and desiccated coconut and simmer for 10 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, cook the couscous according to the packet instructions and stir in the remaining ingredients

6. Sprinkle the coriander and grated fresh coconut over the curry and serve alongside the couscous.

Source: BBC