Lahori Bhuna Lamb Aloo Keema

Method

1. Peel the potatoes, cut into 2.5 cm cubes, rinse and pat completely dry with kitchen paper (wet potatoes make the oil spit). Heat the oil in a 24 cm frying pan over medium-high heat, add the potatoes in one layer and fry for 7 min, turning, until golden on all sides. They don't need to be cooked through. Lift them out.

   Add in this stepPotatoes (waxy) 300 gVegetable oil (for the potatoes) 3 tbsp

   medium-high heat

2. Melt the ghee in a 20 cm heavy pot over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds, bay leaves and lightly crushed cardamom and stir for 30 seconds until the cumin crackles. Add the thinly sliced onion and fry for 9 min until evenly deep golden brown.

   Add in this stepGhee 2 tbspCumin seeds ½ tspBay leaves 1Green cardamom pods 3Onion (medium) 1

   medium heat

3. Add most of the ginger (grated) and the chopped garlic, stir for 30 seconds, then add the lamb. Fry over medium-high heat for 7 min, breaking it up, until all the liquid has gone and the meat sizzles and browns.

   Add in this stepFresh ginger 11 gGarlic cloves 3Lamb mince (about 20% fat) 300 g

   medium-high heat

4. Turn down to medium-low heat, add the chilli powder, turmeric, coriander and salt and stir for 30 seconds. Add the yogurt 1 tbsp at a time, stirring fast after each spoonful (adding it all at once makes it split), then add the chopped tomato and fry for 7 min. When oil shines on the surface and separates from the masala, the bhuna is done.

   Add in this stepKashmiri chilli powder ¾ tspGround turmeric ½ tspGround coriander 1 tspSalt ¾ tspPlain yogurt (room temperature) 75 gTomato (medium) 1½

   medium-low heat

5. Return the fried potatoes, add the hot water, stir once, cover and cook over low heat for 14 min, until the potatoes break easily with a knife and have soaked up the masala.

   Add in this stepHot water 170 ml

   low heat

6. Uncover and cook over medium heat for 2 min until almost dry and glossy with oil. Add the garam masala and the kasuri methi crushed between your palms. Cut the remaining ginger into fine matchsticks and scatter over with the chillies and coriander. Squeeze over the lemon just before eating, and pick out the bay leaves and cardamom pods.

   Add in this stepGaram masala ½ tspDried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) 1 tspFresh ginger 4.5 gHot green chillies 2Fresh coriander (cilantro) 5 gLemon ½

   medium heat