Salan is curry in Urdu, but this is no ordinary curry recipe! I have been trying to perfect the “perfect” salan for a long time, but alas…it was always too thick, or too runny or just not IT!!

I watched many vidoes, read many recipes and yet wasn`t content ( Nitu is difficult to please), and Nitu never follows a recipe to the T….I always, always tweak it.

Finally, one day, I bought some lamb with bones and told myself i was gonna nail Salan!!!

S0—I was so pleased with the result… This is it!!

This recipe takes time, so play your favourite music and pour yourself a drink!

To my astonishment, I had so many requests for the recipe…so here you are. LAMB SALAN THE NITU DIDI WAY!!

1 kilo of lamb with bones, cut into pieces, fat trimmed, you can use either leg or shoulder, i add a bit of salt to the lamb as i prepare the rest of the ingredients

1 large brown Spanish onion, chopped

1 whole pod of garlic, peeled and chopped

3″ piece ginger, washed and grated with skin on

As many green chillies as your heart desires

2 cups of chopped coriander

2 red tomatoes , chopped

1/2 cup of sunflower oil

SPICES :

4 bay leaves, 3 large black cardamoms bruised ( just give them a whack), 1 long stick of cinnamon broken up roughly, 2 tablespoons of cumin seeds, 3 tablespoons of crushed ( not powdered) coriander seeds, 10 cloves,

The rest of the spices are to be added later..So,lets start cooking!!

In a pressure cooker ( you can use any other pan, just make sure its big enough, I have seen that cooking lamb in a big pan makes the process faster and lamb browns better).

Heat the oil, add the chopped onion and the spices above and cook till the onions are slightly browned. Add the chopped garlic and ginger and the green chillies and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, making sure not to burn the onions.. Then add a splash of water and let the onions get mushy, ( 5 seconds) then add your lamb and let it sear in the fragrant onion gravy. This process takes abotut 15 to 20 minutes, The lamb will ooze out its juices and then dry up and cook in the onions. Cook till you see the oil oozing on the sides, this is a sign you are ready for the next step.

Add salt to taste, I also added a generous tablespoon of chilli flakes ( optional ofcourse) and some Kashmiri Chilli powder for colorur.

Add your chopped tomatoes and cook till the tomatoes are mushy and you can see the oil on the sides…

Now I add half of the chopped coriander, I taste and correct the seasoning, and then I add 1 tablespoon of roasted cumin powder, 1/2 teasoon of cardamom powder.

I add 2 cups of water , some chopped potatoes ( totally optional) ( i like my sauce runny) and i put the lid on the pressure cooker and cook it for 4 whistles. The potato pieces need to be big or else they will just get mashed in the cooker and you wont get that runny sauce.

Once the cooker has cooled down, I open it taste it, and then add the rest of the coriander leaves.

Thats it!!!

This is best with rotis, or a good loaf of bread to dip your sauce in.

You can also make this recipe with beef or chicken, for chicken the cooking time must be much less.

Thank you ALL for the love and the interest in my recipes!!!