SAAG GOSHT (SPINACH AND LAMB)

Winter seems to have hit Cape Town with a vengeance. It’s icy cold and perfect weather to start digging out those winter recipes.
Saag gosht is a delicious North Indian spinach and lamb dish – a favorite at Bukhara, but very easy to make at home for a fraction of the price - and guaranteed to warm up the bones on a chilly winter evening.

INGREDIENTS
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
1-1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
3 tablespoons oil
1 kg lamb cut into cubes. Remove excess fat, or all fat if possible.
4 onions, finely chopped
6 cloves
4 cardamom pods
3 pieces of stick cinnamon
8 black peppercorns
4 bay leaves or better still cassia leaves
2 teaspoons garam masala
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon paprika
6 cm piece ginger, grated
4 garlic cloves, crushed
190 ml (approx. 1 cup) thick natural yoghurt
500 g spinach, roughly chopped
1 ½ cups of water
Salt to taste ( about a heaped teaspoon)

METHOD
Roast the coriander and cumin seeds in a dry pan on medium heat until the aroma rises. Heat the oil in a thick-based pot over low heat and fry a few pieces of meat at a time until browned. Remove from the pan. Add more oil to the pan, if necessary, and fry the onion, cloves, cardamom pods, stick cinnamon, black peppercorns, and bay leaves until the onion is slightly browned. Add the cumin and coriander, garam masala, turmeric, and paprika and fry for about a minute.
Add the meat, ginger, garlic, yoghurt, and water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 1-1/2-2 hours, or until the meat is very tender. At this stage, most of the water should have evaporated, if it hasn't, remove the lid, increase the heat and cook until the moisture has evaporated.
Season with salt to taste.
Cook the spinach briefly in a little simmering water until it is just wilted, then refresh in cold water. Drain thoroughly, then finely chop. Squeeze out any extra water.
Add the spinach to the lamb and cook for 10 minutes, or until the spinach and lamb are well mixed and any extra liquid has evaporated.

Best served with roti or naan, but can be served with white or basmati rice.