Bay Leaves & Cumin-Scented Ground Lamb
Easy to Make and Rich with Spices
Bay Leaves & Cumin-Scented Ground Lamb | Dara O’Brien
By Dara O’Brien
Creative Director, Lake Isle Press
My first office job after years of working in restaurants was at a publishing house. However, my former profession must still have held some sway because, despite my meager salary, I went out to lunch or ordered take-out just about every day. Once or twice a week, that lunch would be a cheeseburger and fries at the diner around the corner from my office.
Since then, my dining habits have evolved. For example, it’s been a while since I regularly ate cheeseburgers — or any red meat. But it took a while for me to come around to the idea of packing my lunch for work. At last, I saw the light: bringing food from home helps you control what you eat and saves time and money. Sign me up.
As I made this recipe I made a mental note that it would make an easily packable lunch. I also thought back to when cheeseburgers were a regular part of my diet, since this dish is like a spicy burger without the bun. Or the patty. And it’s served with basmati rice instead of fries. So maybe it’s more like a more flavorful version of a Sloppy Joe.
The recipe is by Chef Vikas Khanna, from his book “Flavors First: An Indian Chef’s Culinary Journey,” published by Lake Isle Press. It’s almost a total pantry meal (and actually would have been if I had substituted ground turkey from my freezer for lamb). But I could well have used the turkey; the recipe’s introduction notes that it would work with other types of ground meat, and I agree. It has such a flavorful interplay of spices that you substitute turkey, chicken, beef, pork, or even tempeh or tofu.
I cut the other ingredients by a third since I only had one pound of ground lamb and the recipe calls for 1½ pounds. I substituted softened cream cheese for yogurt (with a squirt of lemon for tanginess) and used canned diced tomato instead of fresh. It didn’t need much water at all; I added less than ¼ cup. I omitted the almonds and added frozen peas, some parsley for garnish, and a squirt of lemon for a touch of brightness.
It’s not just that I pack my own food for lunch that’s changed over the years — it’s the nature of the meal, as well. I try so many new recipes that I sometimes realize it’s been far too long since I made many old favorites. I’ve been eyeing Sam Sifton’s recipe for cast iron skillet diner burgers for a while now. Maybe it’s time to give it a try.
BAY LEAVES & CUMIN-SCENTED GROUND LAMB
Click here for printable recipe.
This popular Indian recipe, also called keema (which literally means 'ground meat"), can be made with any ground meat. A health-conscious cook might try it with ground turkey. In this version, ground lamb is sautéed with aromatic bay leaves, cumin, and cardamom and garnished with almonds. Other variations include additions such as peas and potatoes.
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
One 2-inch-long piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 fresh green chile pepper (such as serrano), seeded and minced
8 green cardamom pods
5 bay leaves
1½ pounds lean ground lamb
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon paprika
1 medium tomato, blanched for 30 seconds, skinned, and finely chopped
½ cup plain, lowfat yogurt, whisked smooth
1 cup water
¼ cup almond slivers
Basmati rice or bread, for serving
PREPARATION
Heat the oil in a medium, heavy-bottom skillet over medium- high heat and fry the onion until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, green chile, cardamom, and bay leaves and cook, stirring continuously, until the mixture is light brown, about 2 minutes.
Add the lamb, salt, cumin, coriander, turmeric, paprika, and tomato and cook, stirring and breaking up the lamb, until dry, about 2 minutes. Stir in the yogurt and water, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally until the lamb is cooked, about 10 minutes. Add more water if necessary, to keep the dish from becoming too dry. Discard the bay leaves.
Serve hot, garnished with almonds, with rice or bread.
Recipe from “Flavors First” by Vikas Khanna, published by Lake Isle Press, 2011
BAY LEAVES & CUMIN-SCENTED GROUND LAMB RECIPE
from “Flavors First” by Vikas Khanna, Lake Isle Press, 2011
OTHER RECIPES FROM THIS BOOK
Brown Basmati with Caramelized Onions and Broccoli
Brown Lentils and Zucchini with Lime
Cabbage and Mushrooms with Turmeric-Infused Butter
Chicken and Ricotta Cheese Curry
Chicken Tikka Masala
Dill and Cardamom Chicken
Lentils with Rice and Vegetables
Himalayan Red Rice Vegetable Pulao
Masoor Daal
Orange-Ginger Chutney
Spring Onion and Pea Soup
Stir-Fried Potatoes with Green Beans and Mint
Sunday Kidney Bean & Tomato Curry
Sweet Eggplant Chutney
Yellow Lentils with Turmeric and Ginger
Flavors First draws from celebrated Indian Chef Vikas Khanna's culinary journey from his native India to his experience as a Michelin-starred chef in New York. With entire chapters devoted to every part of an Indian meal (even breads, chutneys, desserts and beverages) and an ingredient and spice glossary that includes tips on handling and storage, Flavors First is an indispensable resource on Indian home cooking.
“Vikas Khanna's enthusiasm for food is so intense that it practically explodes off the page. I could taste the dishes just by reading the recipes.” —Jean-Georges Vongerichten