Ingredients

• 4 garlic cloves
• 1cm piece ginger, peeled
• 700g lamb mince (10-20% fat)
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 5-7 curry leaves
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
• 3 green chillies, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp coriander leaves, finely chopped, plus extra to serve
• 1 heaped tsp Kashmiri chilli powder (or mild chilli powder)
• 1⁄2 tsp ground turmeric
• 180ml coconut milk
• 1 tsp dark brown soft sugar
• 2 tbsp red or white wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

For the spice powder

• 3 green cardamom pods
• 1 blade of mace
• 2cm cinnamon stick
• 1⁄2 star anise
• 3 cloves
• 4-5 black peppercorns

To serve

• 4 soft white rolls, split, toasted and buttered
• red onion, finely sliced
• 1 lime or lemon, cut into wedges

Method

• STEP 1 Put all the spice powder ingredients into a spice or coffee grinder and blitz to a fine powder. Blitz the garlic and ginger to a fine paste using a food processor, then tip into a bowl with the lamb mince and stir well to combine. Set aside.
• STEP 2 Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed frying pan over a medium heat. Add the curry leaves and let them sizzle for a couple of minutes. Tip in the onions and fry for 5-7 mins until softened and light brown. Add the tomatoes and fry over a medium heat until they can be mashed slightly with the back of a spoon (about 5 mins). Stir in the chillies, coriander, chilli powder and turmeric, frying for a couple of minutes.
• STEP 3 Add the marinated lamb and keep stirring over a medium heat, breaking down the mince to make sure there are no lumps. Cook for 5 mins, then add 150ml water. Bring to the boil, then simmer on a low heat with the lid half-covering the pan. Cook the lamb for 20 mins or until it’s almost absorbed all the water.
• STEP 4 Mix in the coconut milk and powdered spice mix, and simmer for 5-7 mins. Add the sugar, vinegar and seasoning, and stir well. Cook for another 5 mins, then turn the heat off and garnish with the extra coriander and lemon juice. Serve warm with the toasted, buttered rolls, red onion and lime wedges.