Gnomes in Disguise? - Spicy Lamb (Besan Gosht)
spicy lamb (besan gosht)
I sometimes think that children are really little gnomes in disguise. One moment they are adorable little children, and in a flash, they have turned into little creatures ready to wreak havoc and destruction. After all, I spend most of the day trying to keep them from seriously hurting themselves, flitting from one dangerous stunt to the next.
Poet and Flower have always been two partners in crime. There was no scheme that was (or is) too crazy. One of their earliest toys was a little red and yellow car they would race up and down the hallways. They had this brilliant idea to open the front door. I walked in on them teaming up to make this happen. Flower was steering the car, trying to get in front of the lock. And Poet was calmly sitting on the roof, trying to turn the keys to open the door. I'm not sure where they thought they could go, but I suspect the challenge of getting the door open was plenty enough reward for them.
spicy lamb (besan gosht)
Their most recent disaster has included slime. They have been obsessed with slime. G has looked up many different "recipes" in his quest to make the most perfect slime. Who knew there was more than just one kind of slime? But, last week, Poet decided to make a new kind of slime with dish detergent. It ended up being a wet, gooey blue mess. The kitchen floor was covered in soap and bits of slime. As Poet ran giggling to take a bath, I was left in the kitchen to survey the mess. Armed with towels and water, I tackled the blue mess. But I really had no sense of how much soap had gone into the slime. I figured, how much could it be?
I threw all the wet soapy towels into the washing machine without a second thought. And that was my mistake. I walked into the laundry room to find large soapy suds overflowing from the washer, covering the floor and edging towards the door. It was like something from a bad horror movie, large white foamy suds slowly trying to take over the house. I was horrified and not sure what the solution was. Poet walked in, clean and dressed in pajamas, and started scooping up suds gleefully. Eventually, the suds subsided, and everything was washed and clean. There were just a few minutes of peace before the next disaster.
spicy lamb (besan gosht)
And so our little gnomes manage to get themselves into pretty much everything. As many parents have told us, silence is not necessarily a good thing. It means they are up to something mischievous. At the end of the day, they are amazing little creatures, capable of so much love and curiosity. It is this curiosity, I think, that drives some of their antics. But I guess I wouldn't have it any other way.
Spicy Lamb (Besan Gosht)
This lamb dish is a sumptuous and spicy. Slowly simmer lamb with turmeric until it's soft and melts in your mouth. Then gently saute it with onions, garlic, ginger and spices. Chickpea flour helps to make a thick silky sauce. It's perfect with rice.
I like to use lamb shoulder because the bones add a lot of flavor. But you can also use boneless leg of lamb as well.
Serves 6
2 pounds lamb (cut into 2-3 inch pieces (lamb shoulder or boneless lamb))
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups water
Masala
4-5 tablespoons neutral oil
1 medium onion (thinly sliced)
3 cloves garlic (minced)
1 inch piece of ginger (minced)
1/8 teaspoon chili powder (optional)
2 tablespoons chickpea flour
1 cup cilantro (chopped)
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the lamb, turmeric, and salt. Return to a boil then simmer for 30 to 45 minutes, until the lamb is tender and cooked through. There should be about a 1/4 cup of liquid left, if not continue to cook down for a few more minutes.
Keep an eye on the meat and make sure it continues to be submerged in water. You may need to add more water as needed.
In a medium frypan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add onions and saute until translucent and soft, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and stir for 30 seconds. Add the chili powder and chickpea flour, and saute for a 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the lamb and remaining liquid, cilantro and garam masala to the the onion mixture. Add a quarter cup of water if you would like it to be more saucy. Bring to a boil then simmer for 10 minutes. The sauce should be thick enough to to coat the back of a spoon.
Serve with rice.