Latifs Inspired Slow Cooker Lamb Handi

Source video by Latifs Inspired on YouTube. This recipe was adapted with strict source-fidelity rules.

Latif explicitly calls out the slow cooker for this dish: 'whack it in the slow cooker, let it cook, cook, cook'. The bone-in lamb (he uses spring lamb with the fat on) is marinated raw with onions, yoghurt, fresh tomatoes, green pepper, green chillies, ginger, garlic and a heavy spice mix (chilli powder, curry powder, coriander, cumin, turmeric, garam masala, panch phoron and whole bay, cardamom and cinnamon). One hour in the fridge, then everything tips into the slow cooker, no separate browning. The yoghurt-and-tomato marinade braises the lamb gently as it cooks; the only finishing touch is a sprinkle of extra garam masala and fresh coriander at the end.

Ingredients

• 1.5 kgbone-in spring lamb, fat on, cut into 4-5 cm chunks

• 3 leavesbay leaves
• 1 stick (4 in)cinnamon stick (cassia bark)
• 6 podsgreen cardamom pods, lightly bashed
• 1 tsppanch phoron (Bengali five-spice)

• 2 onionsmedium onions, finely chopped
• 2 heaped tspginger and garlic paste
• 10 clovesgarlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 peppergreen pepper, chopped
• 3 tomatoesfresh tomatoes, chopped
• 10 chilliesgreen chillies

• 1 cupnatural yoghurt
• 4 tbspvegetable oil
• 2 heaped tspfine salt

• 1.5 tspground coriander
• 1 tspground cumin
• 2 tspchilli powder
• 2 tspcurry powder
• 1 tspgaram masala
• 0.5 tspturmeric

• 0.5 tspgaram masala (add late)
• fresh coriander, chopped (add late)

Method

1. In a large bowl, combine the lamb chunks, all the whole spices, onions, ginger-garlic paste, chopped garlic, green pepper, tomatoes, green chillies, yoghurt, oil, salt and all the ground spices (coriander, cumin, chilli powder, curry powder, 1 tsp garam masala, turmeric). Mix thoroughly so every piece of meat is coated.

   ~8 min

2. Cover the bowl with cling film and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Longer is better; up to overnight is ideal.

   ~60 min

3. Tip the entire marinated mixture, including all the marinade, into the slow cooker. No browning, no extra liquid, the yoghurt and the lamb's own juices are enough.

   ~2 min

4. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or high for 4 hours, until the lamb is fork-tender and breaking apart.

   ~360 min

5. If the sauce looks tight, stir in a splash of hot water. If loose, prop the lid slightly open for the last 30 minutes to reduce.

   ~30 min

6. Sprinkle the extra 1/2 tsp garam masala over the surface for the last 10 minutes for fragrance. Replace the lid.

   ~10 min

7. Scatter chopped fresh coriander over the top and serve with basmati rice, naan or rotis.

   ~2 min

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