I’m a fan of curries; mainly because I like fragrant and spicy dishes. Coming from a Latino culture, this is a given. The origin of curry dishes is India. It is the Tamil word for “sauce.” Today we think of it more as a seasoned gravy. This is thanks to our British brethren who, during the 18th century, adopted the ides of curry, modified it, and made it an international dish.

Curry also has a history in Pakistan and Thailand. Indian curry is made with a mixture known as masala. This comes from the Hindi word for “spice.” It’s a combination of spices such as garlic, ginger, onions, and chili paste. While Thai curry is made from a paste of chilies, herbs and vegetables. Today, curries are popular world-wide.

Below is my recipe for lamb curry. Let me note that curry is usually served with plain boiled rice. This time around I served it on a bed of tubettini noodles.

LAMB CURRY

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and slice into thin rings
1 clove garlic, finely minced
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 pounds ground lamb
1 tablespoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 tomatoes, rinsed and chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2/3 cup chicken bouillon
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 1/4 cups unflavored yogurt

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet or pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook about 1 minute (do not let garlic brown).
2. Add ginger, lamb, garam masala and chili powder. Cook, stirring, until the lamb is browned.
3. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, bouillon, salt and pepper, and half the yogurt. Cover and simmer over low heat until meat is tender (about 30 minutes). Stir in the remaining yogurt and serve on a bed of pasta or rice.
   Yield: 4 servings.