Serves 4-6 Ingredients 1kg lamb, cut into bite-size pieces 500ml chicken stock 4 cloves 1tsp cardamom pods 4 star anise 1tbsp grated palm sugar (or brown sugar) 2tbsp Thai fish sauce 2tbsp tamarind paste 600ml coconut milk 2tbsp Thai red curry paste 2 lemon grass stalks 500-600gm butternut pumpkin, peeled and cut to bite-size pieces […]

Serves 4-6

Ingredients
1kg lamb, cut into bite-size pieces
500ml chicken stock
4 cloves
1tsp cardamom pods
4 star anise
1tbsp grated palm sugar (or brown sugar)
2tbsp Thai fish sauce
2tbsp tamarind paste
600ml coconut milk
2tbsp Thai red curry paste
2 lemon grass stalks
500-600gm butternut pumpkin, peeled and cut to bite-size pieces
15 shallots (French shallots) peeled
salt and pepper
spring onions, finely chopped for garnish

Method
Heat large, heavy-based saucepan. Add lamb, stock, cloves, cardamom, star anise, palm sugar, fish sauce, half tamarind paste and half coconut milk.

Bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer for two hours, stirring occasionally.

Strain lamb, reserving liquid. Remove seed pods and cloves. Cover lamb and keep warm. Place saucepan on medium heat and add curry paste and remaining coconut milk. Bring to boil and add remaining tamarind paste.

Stir in lamb, lemon grass stalks (bruised), shallots, butternut and 250-300ml (1- 1½ cups) reserved stock. Simmer uncovered for 20 -30 minutes. Remove from heat, season to taste and sprinkle with spring onions before serving.

Serve with rice.

Recipe can be varied by replacing lamb with beef and/or butternut pumpkin with potato.

This recipe was also published in the April 2009 edition of Border Crossings, the magazine of LCA International Mission.