Lamb Saag

Posted in Asian Recipes, Soups and Stews
Lamb Saag
Lamb Saag is a rich, slow-simmered curry where tender lamb shoulder cooks down with spinach, tomatoes, aromatics, and warm spices. The spinach gives the sauce its deep green color and earthy body, while ginger, garlic, chilies, coriander, cumin, turmeric, and cardamom build a fragrant base that's perfect with naan or rice.

Ingredients

  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, about 25g, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 2 green chilies, roughly chopped
  • 1 large onion, roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoons oil, for frying
  • 2 pounds lamb shoulder, trimmed and cut into 3cm chunks
  • 2 teaspoons coriander seeds, toasted and ground
  • 2 teaspoons cumin seeds, toasted and ground
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 2 cardamom pods, squashed
  • 4 large tomatoes, quartered
  • 2 cups lamb stock
  • 8 ounces baby spinach, roughly chopped
  • 1 small pack coriander, roughly chopped
  • Naan breads or rice, to serve

Instructions

  1. Make the Onion Puree: Put the garlic, ginger, chilies, and onion into a small food processor and blend to a puree, adding 1 tablespoon water if needed to help it move.

  2. Brown the Lamb: Heat 1½ tablespoons oil in a large flameproof casserole or saute pan. Brown the lamb all over in two batches, then lift it onto a plate and set aside.

  3. Bloom the Spices: Add the remaining oil to the same pan. Fry the coriander, cumin, turmeric, and cardamom for 2 minutes, adding a splash of water if the spices start to catch.

  4. Cook the Puree: Add the onion puree to the pan and cook for 2 minutes, stirring so the aromatics pick up the spices and browned bits from the lamb.

  5. Simmer the Lamb: Add the lamb back to the pan along with the tomatoes and lamb stock. Stir, cover, and cook for 45 minutes.

  6. Add the Spinach: Stir in the chopped spinach, then cook for another 45 minutes or until the lamb is tender. If the sauce looks thin, remove the lid for the last 20 minutes of cooking to reduce it.

  7. Finish and Serve: Scatter the chopped coriander over the top and serve the lamb saag with warm naan or rice.

Slow-Simmered Spinach Curry

Lamb Saag builds flavor in layers: browned lamb, toasted spices, an onion, garlic, ginger, and chile puree, tomatoes, stock, and spinach. By the end, the sauce should be thick, earthy, and fragrant, with lamb tender enough to pull apart with a spoon.

Tips and Variations

  • Lamb shoulder is ideal because it becomes tender during the long simmer.
  • Remove the seeds from the chilies for a milder curry, or add cayenne for more heat.
  • Stir in plain yogurt or cream at the end for a softer, richer sauce.
  • Serve with naan, basmati rice, raita, cucumber salad, dal, or chutney.
  • Like many curries, this is even better the next day.

Nutrition Facts

  • Serving Size: 1 serving
  • Servings Per Recipe: 6
  • Calories: 470

% Daily Value

  • Total Fat: 28g (36% DV)
  • Saturated Fat: 10g (50% DV)
  • Cholesterol: 115mg (38% DV)
  • Sodium: 620mg (27% DV)
  • Total Carbohydrates: 14g (5% DV)
  • Dietary Fiber: 4g (14% DV)
  • Total Sugars: 5g
  • Protein: 39g
  • Vitamin A: 360mcg (40% DV)
  • Vitamin C: 35mg (39% DV)
  • Calcium: 150mg (12% DV)
  • iron: 6mg (33% DV)

Note: The “% Daily Value” (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary based on ingredients and preparation.