4 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large onions (thinly sliced)
2 large tomatoes (diced)—You can use canned whole tomatoes
2 tablespoons garlic (chopped)
1 tablespoon ginger (chopped)
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
2 teaspoons garam masala
2 pounds boneless lamb shoulder or stew meat (cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks)—You can sub chicken
1/2 cup Chicken Stock
Salt (to taste)
Garnish: cilantro (chopped, fresh)
Heat the cooking oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat.
When hot, add the onions. Sauté until the onions begin to turn pale golden brown, about 8 minutes. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Reserve the oil in the pan and turn off the heat.
In a food processor, pulse the onions into a smooth paste, adding a teaspoon of water if necessary to blend. Transfer to a separate container and reserve.
Blend the tomatoes, garlic, and ginger together in the food processor until you have a smooth paste. Transfer to a separate container and reserve for later use.
Reheat the oil leftover from frying the onions over medium heat and add the reserved onion paste. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the tomato mixture, coriander, cumin, turmeric, red chili powder, and garam masala, and mix well.
Sauté until the oil begins to separate. This can take up to 10 minutes.
Add the lamb pieces to the mixture, and stir to fully coat. Sauté until the lamb is browned well, about 8 minutes.
Add 1/2 cup of broth to the pan and stir to mix well. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cover the pan. Cook until the lamb is tender. You will need to keep checking on the lamb as it cooks and adding more water if all the water dries up. Stir often to prevent burning. The dish should have a fairly thick gravy when done. Season with salt to taste. This should take roughly 45 minutes.
When the lamb is cooked, garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with naan or hot steamed rice.