[CH] OT: anyone here a biologist?

Virginia Anderson (anderson.lists@ntlworld.com)
Mon, 06 Jan 2003 14:40:30 +0000 

Hi there,

Just a short, off-topic, question, then back to chiles.  Is there a CH out
there who I can talk to about fireflies - their habits, whether there are
European as opposed to American variants and such?  It's for my Ph.D. in
music.

Having interrupted the flow, I'll try to atone with a lamb dish we tried
last night and liked a lot.  We used lamb leg, fresh red chillies and canned
butterbeans and it tasted wonderful served with coriander chutney, saag
gosht, and naan.

Cheers,

Virginia (UK CH)

Lamb with Butterbeans
Mridula Baljekar, The Complete Indian Cookbook (Godalming, Surrey: Bramley
Books, 1998), p. 138.

Serves 6-8
Time: prep.: 20-25 minutes plus overnight soaking of beans; cooking: 1 hr.
30 mins.
Serve with Plain Boiled Rice, or Plain Fried Rice,  or Naan.
Suitable for freezing.

150 g./6 oz. butter beans, washed and soaked overnight in plenty of cold
water; 
600 ml./20 fl. oz. cold water;
1 1/4 t. salt; 
1-in. cube ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped;
2-4 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped;
5 T. cooking oil; 
2 medium-sized onions, finely chopped;
2-3 dried red chillies;
2 cinnamon sticks, each 2-in. long, broken up;
make a paste of the following 4 spices by adding 3 T. water:
    1 1/2 t. ground coriander;
    2 1/2 t. ground cumin;
    1 t. ground turmeric;
    1/4 t. chilli powder (optional);
1 kg./2.2 lbs. leg or shoulder of lamb, fat trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-in.
cubes; 
2 T. tomato puree; 
2-3 black cardamoms, split open the top of each pod;
6 whole cloves; 
175 ml./6 fl. oz. warm water;
juice of half a lemon;
2 T. chopped coriander leaves

Put the cold water and the butter beans in a saucepan and bring the liquid
to the boil.

Partially cover the pan and cook over low heat for 15 mins.

Now cover the pan tightly and simmer the beans for about 20 minutes.  Remove
the pan from the heat and keep aside.

Add the salt to the ginger and garlic and crush to a pulp.

Heat the oil over medium heat and add the onions, red chillies and cinnamon
sticks.  Stir and fry until the onions are soft (about 5 mins,).

Add the ginger and garlic pulp and stir and fry for 2-3 mins.  Add the spice
paste, adjust heat to low, stir and fry for a further 3-4 mins.

Add the meat, turn heat up to medium-high and fry for 5-6 mins., stirring
frequently.

Stir in the tomato puree, then add the cardamoms, cloves and warm water.
Bring to the boil, cover and simmer until the meat is tender, about 55-60
minutes.

Add the butter beans and the liquid in which they were cooked.  Bring the
liquid to the boil, cover the pan and simmer for 15 mins.

Remove the pan from heat and add the lemon juice and coriander leaves.