Spring Lamb Curry

We've had a package of Lamb stew meat from Paulina Meat Market sitting in our freezer for a few weeks, and I decided it was high time to cook it up! During my visit to the Farmers Market last weekend I also picked up some red skin potatoes and a bag of cremini mushrooms. Instead of making a traditional "meat & potatoes" stew with the lamb and vegetables, I wanted to make a spring curry. I did some recipe googling, and found a recipe that I thought I could adapt for my ingredients.

I started by browning my lamb stew meat (seasoned with S&P) in a little bit of olive oil in a hot hot stew pot. When the meat was brown and caramelized I removed it from the pot and turned down the heat. I then added a bit more olive oil and 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 bunch spring onions- white part only. When these were soft I stirred in 1 cup of Greek yogurt mixed with coriander, turmeric, and cumin. The recipe I found online called for "frying" the yogurt, which I did hesitantly, stirring constantly, over not too high heat. I then added my cubed potatoes, 1/2 a sliced brown onion, 1 1/2 tbsp minced fresh ginger, and about two cups of my cremini mushrooms. Then it was time to add the browned lamb back to the pot along with the liquid component: 1 small container chicken stock, and a cup or so of water.

This is when things got a little dicey. The "fried" yogurt curdled in the broth, and there were little mealy bits of yogurt floating around my soup pot. I didn't want to freak out quiet yet- there was still 40 minutes of cooking time for this dish.

I brought the mixture to a low boil and then reduced the heat to a simmer, and left uncovered on the stove for 40 minutes, stirring from time to time.

As the stew cooked the broth reduced and the potatoes became creamy. The final consistency was like a soupy mash, with hunks of browned lamb meat and chunks of mushroom and still intact potato. I tossed in a handful of frozen peas for a hit of bright green color, and then added my secret ingredient:

Served on a bed of white rice with a dollop of Greek yogurt and a wedge of lime, this curry was spicy, hearty, fresh tasting, and delicious!