Kari kambing (Lamb curry)

I have not really been lamb fans for a long time,

especially since I saw how my fellow neighbours 

slaughtered one back to 25 years ago for a village 

festival.

Perhaps, it was because I have been visiting 

the poor lambs in its tiny house not too far 

from my house for several time and feed it 

for almost 

one month. 

Till I found out that he will be served for 

the harvest festival in few days. My tiny heart 

felt so sad and couldn't really look at the lamb 

after I heard about that.

So I decided that I am not gonna join the crowds

eating the lamb, so that goes for more than 2o 

years now. I bet my exposure to middle eastern food 

especially those kebabs of Turkey like Adana kebabs

and donner kebab have influenced me to eat lambs again.

This lamb curry is my very first trial of cooking lamb. 

In North Sumatera, the local eat this with roti jala.

Here is the recipe:

2 pounds lamb meat or lamb ribs, cut into 4x4 cm

1.5 canned coconut milk + 2 cups of water

3 tbs vegetable oil 

2 tsp salt

Spices:

Ground and mix the following:

8 shallots

5 garlics

5 cm galangal; crushed coarsely 

3 cm ginger; crushed coarsely

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

6 candle nuts, stir on a pan till bit brownish

2 tbs sambal oeloek

1 tbs cumin

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1 tbs tamarind paste; heat it with 1/2 cup water 

in micro wave

additional spice:

2 star anise

1/2 tsp cinnamon powder

2 bay leaves

3 curry leaves

1 lemon grass ' crushed coarsely 

Directions:

1. Heat the oil then add curry leaves and the 

ground mix spices. 

2. Add the lamb and stir for 10 minutes then 

add the water and salt

3. Add the additional spices then add half the 

coconut milk and cook in small fire  

till curry sauce reduce a half then add the rest 

of the coconut milk and cook till

all is boiling.

4. Served with rice, roti jala or roti telur.