logo left

lamb curry with spinach

logo right
nuttys kitchen logo

Lamb Curry with Spinach, or Saag Gosht as it is known is from the Punjab, it's delicate and delicious, not overly spiced or indeed complicated. If you can make a shepherd's pie you can make this — it's easier! Bell peppers add texture, colour and a lovely flavour. As always—I like to use more vegetables than meat if the dish will take it. The Spinach is added right at the end retaining it's vitamins, minerals, flavour and vibrant colour. Preparation is not so important here as you have 20 minutes while your onions brown, which is plenty of time to make your spice paste. Then you have another 25 to 35 minutes while your meat is cooking and you can chop your vegetables then — Loads o' time! ;-)

Click the Method tab below to see a step by step guide on how to make Lamb Curry with Spinach with pictures.

garam masala added

ingredients

Here's what you need :¬)

  • 3 Tbls vegetable oil
  • 1 white onion sliced
  • 1 red onion sliced
  • 300g diced lamb
  • 1 Tbls garlic paste
  • 1 Tbls ginger paste
  • 1 1/2 tsp hot chilli powder
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 400ml water
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • 1 green bell pepper diced
  • 2 fresh green chillies sliced into disks
  • 450g fresh spinach roughly chopped
  • 3 Tbls fresh or frozen coriander chopped
  • 1 lemon rind & 1/2 the juice
  • 1 tsp extra garam masala

method

It's that time again where I say "brown the dreaded onions!" but that really is the only work involved here — bar a bit of chopping, combining & stirring and the rewards are huge. So get all your ingredients ready in the order that they are listed & let's cook. Try to use a pan with a glass lid so you can keep an eye on your dish while it is covered.

Note: Adding lemon juice at the end of cooking retains the fresh citrus taste of the lemon, the earlier you add it, the more bitter it becomes, which is what you want in some dishes, but not this one!

  1. First of all, heat a heavy bottomed pan to hot
  2. Add your oil & allow it to heat to a shimmer
  3. Add your onions & leave them alone, bar the odd check
  4. Combine all the spices & pastes including salt & pepper
add onions to the hot oil
onions in pan
brown the onions well
onions browning

Once the onions are brown 20 mins of your life have passed yet again!

  1. Lower the heat to medium add your spice paste
add the spice paste to the onions
spice paste added to onions
  1. Stir-fry until oil separates & the room smells amazing
stir-fry until the oil separates
onions and spice paste cooking

While that's cooking

  1. Check the dice of the meat is even
check the lamb is evenly diced
diced lamb and ingredients
  1. Then add your lamb to the pan
add the lamb to the onions & spices
lamb added to pan
  1. Stir well to coat the lamb in the spices
  2. Allow the lamb to brown nicely
brown the lamb all over
lamb browned in pan
  1. Add 400ml water to cover the meat plus a little extra
cover the meat with water
water added to pan
  1. Bring it to the boil
  2. As soon as it boils — lower the heat & cover
  3. Allow it to simmer covered for 25 to 35 minutes

Do not remove the lid until the lamb is cooked unless you feel it needs more water. Then, when the lamb is done, remove the lid and allow the sauce to reduce by half

Now's the time to chop our veg & spinach, if you haven't already done that

prepare the other veg while the lamb cooks
chopped spinach on a tray
  1. Add your peppers
add the peppers
peppers added to pan
  1. Let the peppers cook until nearly done
peppers almost cooked
peppers cooked 1
  1. When the peppers are nearly done — add your spinach
add the spinach
spinach added to pan
the spinach will wilt down
spinach cooked
  1. Stir & cook until the water from the spinach has disappeared — 7 to 10 mins.
  2. Add your green chillies & stir-fry to combine

Your dish should have a very light, thin sauce and be vibrant green. To keep it that way we are now going to add lemon rind & juice

  1. Add the lemon juice & rind
  2. stir to combine
  3. Add the extra garam masala
add garam masala
garam masala added 1
  1. Stir to combine
  2. Sprinkle with coriander & serve
lamb curry with spinach served with rice & naan bread
lamb curry with spinach rice and naan 2

Serve Lamb Curry with Spinach with plain boiled basmati rice, naan bread, or, just with parathas as it's a fairly dry curry making it the perfect finger food :¬P

Nutty Tip: Now! Frozen spinach can be used in this dish but, please try to use whole leaves & allow them to thaw and drain prior to adding to your dish. You will lose some colour using frozen but, when in a rush, we must!!!