A proper Anglo-Indian collision. Spiced, warm and enormously comforting. Eat with a spoon for maximum coddling.

• 750g minced lamb
• 1 tbsp veg oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 2 inches fresh ginger, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 green birdseye chilli, finely chopped with seeds left in
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 large cinnamon stick
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 2 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 2 shakes worcestershire sauce
• 1 lamb stock cube
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 2 handfuls of frozen peas
• 900g parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 egg, beaten
• 50ml cream
• Grated nutmeg
• Sprinkle of turmeric
• Handful fresh coriander, chopped
• 150g spinach, briefly cooked, liquid squeezed out and chopped

1. Heat butter and oil in a deep, thick-bottomed pan
2. Brown the lamb mince in batches over a high heat and remove from the pan
3. Dump in the onions, turn the heat down and saute for 7 or 8 mins until completely soft
4. Add ginger, garlic and green chilli, cook for 3 mins
5. Add the tomato puree and cook for another minute
6. Tip in the bay leaf, turmeric, cinnamon stick, ground coriander, cumin, fenugreek, worcestershire sauce, stock cube, salt and pepper. Stir together
7. Then stir in lamb and add 200ml boiling water. Scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan
8. Cook for 45 mins, stirring occasionally until liquid is reduced
9. Meanwhile, make the mash. Cook the parsnip chunks in salted boiling water for 10 mins or so until soft. Mash with egg, cream, nutmeg, turmeric, salt and pepper. Stir through coriander and cooked spinach
10. Add garam masala and peas to the lamb mixture. Taste everything and check the seasoning
11. Pre-heat the oven to 180C fan (200C)
12. Tip the lamb mixture into a deep oven dish and top with the mash. Run a fork over the top to make it spiky and bake for 30-40 mins until golden and bubbling

So much more than the bland, overly-sweet takeaway version. Don’t get me wrong, that can be a happy thing in it’s own right, but this is fragrantly delicious and delicately spiced. Feeds 2 with seconds.

• 50g ground almonds
• 1 large green chilli, seeds removed and roughly chopped
• 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
• Small chunk of fresh ginger, grated
• 50ml water
• 300g lamb neck fillet, trimmed and cut into pieces
• 2 tbsp veg oil
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 2 cloves
• 3 cardamom pods
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• ½ tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 200ml chicken stock
• 1 tbsp desiccated coconut
• 1 tsp sugar
• Salt
• 1½ tbsp lemon juice
• 50ml double cream
• Flaked almonds, toasted

1. In a mini food processor, combine the ground almonds, chilli, garlic, ginger and water into a smooth paste
2. In a thick-bottomed pan over a medium-high heat, add the oil and brown the lamb. Then remove it with tongs and turn the heat down
3. Add the whole spices and stir for 1 min
4. Add the onion and cook gently for 7 mins or so until soft
5. Add the ground spices and stir in. Cook for a further minute, then add the almond paste
6. Stir and cook gently for a couple of minutes, then add the stock, coconut, sugar and salt
7. Bring to the boil, turn down to a simmer and add the lamb back in, along with any juices that have leaked out
8. Cover and simmer for 45 mins, stirring occasionally. Add a touch more water if it starts to catch
9. Take off the heat, stir in the cream and lemon juice and serve straight away, sprinkled with flaked almonds

Eat with basmati rice or paratha, with garlic spinach on the side

Flipping amazing and entirely worth the effort. I’ve made it for 2 people and for 40, and it is without fail fragrant, succulent and rapturously received. Which just goes to prove that Madhur Jaffrey is a flipping genius and the queen of Indian cooking!

• 2″ fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 8 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 cups water
• 5 tbsp veg oil
• 900g lamb shoulder, cut into 1″ cubes
• 10 whole cardamom pods
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 cloves
• 10 black peppercorns
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 2 medium onions, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 4 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 6 tbsp plain yogurt
• 1/4 tsp garam masala
• Freshly ground black pepper

1. Put the ginger, garlic and 4 tbsp water a mini food mixer. Blend into a smooth paste
2. Heat the oil in a wide, heavy saucepan over a medium-high heat. Brown lamb in several batches and set aside in a bowl
3. Put the cardamom, bay, cloves, peppercorns, and cinnamon into the same hot oil
4. Stir and wait until cloves swell and the bay leaves begin to take on colour.  This only takes a matter of seconds
5. Now add the onions. Stir and fry for 5 mins until the onions go a medium-brown colour.
6. Add ginger-garlic paste and stir for 30 seconds
7. Add the coriander, cumin, paprika, cayenne, and salt. Stir fry for another 30 seconds. Add the browned meat cubes and the meat juices
8. Now put in 1 tbsp of yogurt, stir and fry for about 30 seconds until yogurt is well blended
9. Add the remaining yogurt, a tbsp at a time in the same way.  Stir and fry for another 3-4 mins
10. Add the remaining 1¼ cups water and bring the contents of the pot to a boil, scraping in all the browned spices on the sides and bottom of the pot
11. Cover, turn heat to low and simmer for about an hour or until meat is tender
12. Every 10 mins give the pot a good stir to prevent burning
13. When the meat is tender, take off the lid, turn the fire to medium high and boil off some of the liquid, stirring all the time, until the sauce is thickened
14. Sprinkle the garam masala and black pepper over the dish and mix them in just before you serve

Serve with rice, raita, mango chutney, samosas, a huge feast of delicousness!