Lamb and Potato Curry and Braised

Braised: 60 Recipes for Fall-Off-Your-Fork Tender Beef, Pork, Poultry & More, written by Jenny Goycochea-Marker, features a comforting collection of melt-in-your-mouth meals for every occasion. A few highlights include Beef Ragu with Pappardelle, Braised Turkey Legs with Cider Gravy, Ginger-Soy Pork Shank Lettuce Wraps, Beer-Braised Lamb Tacos, and Green Curry Salmon. I will also be sharing her recipe for Lamb and Potato Curry following the review.

Disclosure: I received this book from Page Street Publishing in exchange for my honest review. All opinions and statements are my own.

Jenny Goycochea-Marker

Jenny Goycochea-Marker is a chef, photographer, and writer. She developed the food blog, So Much Food, as a way to share her passion for cooking with others. Jenny was also a contestant and winner on the Food Network series Cutthroat Kitchen on three occasions.

She grew up in San Diego and is currently based in San Antonio with her family. This is her debut cookbook.

Braised

Jenny begins Braised with a short introduction before going over the basics of braising. I especially love the abundance of helpful tips from seasoning and layering flavors to staple ingredients, notable equipment, and even braising at higher altitudes.

Chapters are divided according to the following: Braised Beef Classics and More; Time-Saving Poultry Braises; Perfectly Braised Pork; Lamb Shanks, Stews and More; Quick Seafood and Shellfish Braises; Meatless Braises with Vegetables and Legumes; and Transforming Braised Leftovers. The contents page also has a list of the included recipes with page number for easy reference.

Jenny also provides the vibrant photography. Every recipe is paired with a beautifully-styled, full page photo of the finished dish.

Measurements are listed in US Customary and Metric. Titles are written in English and/or the original language. Each recipe has a headnote with background information, serving ideas, yield, prep/cooking time, and other helpful tips.

Lamb and Potato Curry

To pair with the review, I made Jenny’s Lamb and Potato Curry! This Indian-inspired meal is incredibly comforting with a blend of tender lamb and potato pieces coated in a creamy tomato curry sauce and warming spices.

The prep is minimal with a longer, mostly hands off cooking time. Start by browning the lamb pieces on all sides, then sauté the onion, garlic, ginger, and spices until fragrant.

Add the tomato puree and chicken stock to form the sauce before stirring in the set-aside lamb pieces and braising in the oven for nearly 2 hours.

Follow with the potato cubes and coconut milk, then cook for another hour or so until everything is tender.

Serve the Lamb and Potato Curry warm from the oven with steamed basmati rice, sliced white onion, fresh cilantro, and naan bread for dipping.

A Few Lamb and Potato Curry Notes

The spice level of the curry can be adjusted by using one or two Serrano peppers. For a little less heat, remove and discard the seeds before chopping.

Green Cardamom is a highly aromatic, warm citrus-like spice. Most of the flavor is in the seeds encased by the green pods.

You can buy cardamom whole or ground, but the seeds quickly lose their flavor once the pods are cut. I have been able to find the pods in the spice section of larger grocery stores and markets featuring South Asian ingredients.

Kashmiri chili powder is a vibrant and fruity red chili powder made from dried and ground Kashmiri red chili. It can be found in markets with South Asian ingredients.

More Dishes

I also made the Herby Milk-Braised Whole Chicken, Gochujang Chicken Legs with Scallion Sauce, Cumin Lamb Noodles with Chili Oil, and Creamy Shallot Pasta with Crispy Mushrooms.

I made the Herby Milk-Braised Whole Chicken while my in-laws were visiting and it was a huge it with the whole family. After preparing the chicken and searing, it is slowly braised with milk, crème fraîche, mustard, fresh herbs, and garlic. The texture was absolutely fantastic paired with the crispy skin.

A chicken version of Jenny’s Gochujang Braised Short Ribs, the Gochujang Chicken Legs with Scallion Sauce pair chicken leg quarters with a mixture of gochujang, gochugaru, honey, and aromatics. It is served warm from the oven with steamed rice and a drizzle of a homemade creamy scallion sauce.

Inspired by Xi’an Famous Foods in New York City, these Cumin Lamb Noodles with Chili Oil were my personal favorite. It also all comes together in less than an hour. Hand-cut noodles are paired with ground lamb, fragrant spices, Sichuan peppercorns, black vinegar, chili oil, and lots of garlic.

Jenny has also put together a chapter for meatless dishes using vegetables and legumes. This Creamy Shallot Pasta with Crispy Mushrooms is the very first one in the chapter and especially perfect for fall. Inspired by Jenny’s time making soubise as a young chef, this pasta is coated in a silky shallot creamy sauce and topped with crispy mushrooms.

Braised is a great pick for those interested in comforting meat and vegetable-based stews highlighting flavors from around the world. The recipes have been developed with the home cook in mind every step of the way with easy-to-follow instructions. There is something for everyone with meat, poultry, seafood, and meatless options. You will even find an entire chapter devoted to using up leftovers.

Many of the ingredients are available in larger American grocery stores. A few items may require further searching such as dried chilies, Oaxaca cheese, black garlic, smoked Andouille sausage, gochugaru, Calabrian chili paste, liquid smoke, harissa paste, lemongrass, Thai basil, and sumac.

Lamb and Potato Curry Recipe

Excerpt from Braised

Print Pin

Lamb and Potato Curry

A recipe for Lamb and Potato Curry from the cookbook, Braised! This comforting meal pairs tender lamb and potato pieces with a creamy tomato curry sauce.

Course Main

Cuisine N/A

Keyword cardamom, curry, garlic, lamb, potato

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 3 hours hours

Resting Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time 4 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Servings 6 Servings

Ingredients

• 3 pounds (1.4 kilograms) boneless lamb leg
• kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper
• 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) neutral oil
• 2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter or ghee
• 1 white onion diced
• 6 cloves garlic minced
• 1 piece (1 inch, 2.5 centimeters) fresh ginger peeled and minced
• 1-2 serrano peppers diced
• 6 green cardamom pods smashed
• 1 tablespoon (8 grams) Kashmiri chili powder
• 2 teaspoons (5 grams) ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons (5 grams) ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons (4 grams) ground fenugreek
• 1 1/2 teaspoons (3 grams) garam masala
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 2 teaspoons (10 grams) sugar
• 1 pound (454 grams) fresh plum or Campari tomatoes chopped roughly
• 1 cup (240 milliliters) chicken stock
• 1 1/2 pounds (680 grams) gold potatoes peeled and cubed
• 1 can (13.5 ounces, 400 milliliters) full-fat coconut milk

For Serving:

• Steamed basmati rice
• Sliced white onion
• Fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
• Naan bread

Instructions

• Trim the lamb leg of excess fat and cut it into 2-inch (5-centimeter) cubes.
• Season with salt and black pepper, and transfer to the fridge to let chill for 1 hour.
• Preheat an oven to 350˚F (177˚C).
• In a 5-quart (4.7-liter) Dutch oven or braiser, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
• Pat the lamb pieces dry with a paper towel. Brown them on all sides, 8-10 minutes, then transfer to a plate.
• Lower the heat to medium, then add the butter.
• Once it's hot and melted, add the onion, garlic, ginger, serrano and cardamom pods. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the onion has softened and is starting to brown.
• Add the chili powder, coriander, cumin, fenugreek, garam masala, turmeric and sugar, and stir well. Cook, stirring often, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the spices are very fragrant and have darkened in color.
• While the spices cook, use a blender or food process to pulse the chopped tomatoes into a thick puree.
• Pour the tomato puree into the pot and stir well. Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes.
• Season with salt and black pepper, and return the lamb and any juices to the pot. Stir so that the lamb pieces are covered in the sauce.
• Cover and transfer to the oven. Braise for 1 hour 45 minutes.
• Remove the pot from the oven and carefully remove the lid.
• Add the potato cubes and coconut milk, and stir well.
• Re-cover the pot and return it to the oven to braise for an additional 1 hour 15 minutes, or until the lamb is very tender and easily shredded with a fork. Season to taste, if needed, with salt and black pepper.
• Serve over steamed basmati rice and top with the sliced white onion and cilantro. Serve alongside warm naan bread for dipping.