Slow Cooker Lamb Korma with Lentils

Ingredients (Serves 12)

• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 2  red onions, sliced
• 2 sprigs curry leaves
• ½ large fennel bulb, finely sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, bashed
• 2 green chillies, split
• 1 jar Latasha’s Kitchen Kuruma Masala Paste
• 1 leg of lamb with the bone in, approx 2.5-3 kg
• Generous amount of sea salt flakes
• 1 x 400 g can Mutti baby roma tomatoes plus juice
• ½ can Mutti finely chopped tomatoes
• 200 ml Ayam coconut cream
• ⅓ cup water (use to rinse out the empty jar of Kuruma paste)
• 5 potatoes, cut into big chunks
• 2 handfuls raisin
• 1 x 400 g can Italian organic brown lentils, drained and rinsed (can double the quantity if you wish)

Method

1. Heat a 5 litre slow cooker pot on the stove with 3 tablespoons olive oil. I use the Kambrook brand. Layer the base of the slow cooker with the sliced onions and some salt. Allow the onions to soften slightly then add curry leaves, fennel slices, garlic and green chillies. Cook for 5 minutes.
2. Add Latasha’s Kitchen Kuruma Masala Paste to the pot and mix well with the rest of the ingredients. Cook for around 10 minutes on medium heat.
3. Add the lamb and allow it to brown and caramelise well on all sides for around 8 minutes. Pour in the tomatoes followed by the coconut cream. Rinse out the empty paste jar with the water and add it to the pot. Add a little more salt, bring to the boil, then add the raisins and potatoes all around the lamb. Place the lid on and transfer the slow cooker pot to its main base.
4. Cook on the low temperature setting for at least 8 hours or until the meat is falling off the bone.
5. After 4 hours cooking, turn the meat carefully using a large pair of tongs and add the lentils.
6. Serve sauce with pulled chunky pieces of lamb and vegetables.

Note: If there is too much juice/sauce at the end of the cooking time, take the meat and any chunky vegetables from the pot, transfer to a large serving plate and keep warm. Place the slow cooker back on the stove and heat the remaining sauce on high until reduced to the desired consistency.

Serving suggestions

1. Delicious served as a stew with steamed peas and sliced carrots, mashed potato and lightly buttered cauliflower rice.
2. Great too when accompanied by crusty sourdough bread, rice, polenta or couscous and with a side of steamed veggies.
3. Alternatively, add a mix of vegetables like chunky carrots, pumpkin and sweet potato along the side of the lamb in the slow cooker just before you cover with a lid at Step 2.
4. Use leftovers to make a curry pie or as a topping for a tasty pizza.