Lamb And Aubergine Curry

I made this one Saturday before Christmas. I seem to remember it being cold outside and Norwich were playing Colchester on the telly. For some reason I wanted something that reminded me of going to Norwich matches when I was young in the days when there was always a hearty one-pot dinner waiting for us boys. For this one I took the base from the tomato and onion masala I learned on my Indian course and slow cooked it like a stew. A meeting of English and Indian if you like.

Lamb And Aubergine Curry (Serves 3-4)

750g cubed lamb (either from the shoulder or leg)
25g plain flour, seasoned with a large pinch of cumin
1 large aubergine, cut into bite-sized chunks
3 tbsp vegetable/sunflower oil
350g red onion, sliced
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala
2 1/2 tsp ground coriander
250g tomato, chopped
1 tsp sugar

1) Pre-heat the oven to 140c (gas mark 1/2). First deal with the lamb. Just toss it in the flour and heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a large casserole dish and fry in batches until nicely browned.
2) Remove the lamb from the pan and fry the sliced onion for around 15 minutes until light brown and really soft. Next add the spices and temper over a medium heat until the spices have released their oils and the aroma has mellowed. Then add the chopped tomatoes with a teaspoon of sugar and cook until it has gone mushy.
3) Return the lamb to the pan, cover with water and place in the oven for three hours.
4) Half-way through cooking time, cut the aubergine into bit-sized chunks. Place in a colander, sprinkle with salt and leave to bleed. Rinse the aubergine, pat dry and with an hour to go until the lamb is ready, add to the casserole dish.
5) Remove from the oven and serve with plain boiled rice.

This is a really fine English-style winter curry. That's not to say it's greasy but it is very gently spiced with all the hallmarks of a good British casserole. Mild curries are often full of cream and butter but this isn't yet it's still slightly sweet and rich.