Lamb meatball and pea curry

This is an all time favourite from I Love Curry by Anjum Anand. In her book the recipe is called 'hearty meatball pea curry' as you could make it with beef or lamb. However I have always made this with lamb and it's just perfect with some basmati rice.

I like to balance it out this meal with small side salad of chopped tomatoes, grated carrots, chopped cucumber and red onion. Dress the salad with a squeeze of lemon juice and touch of pepper and salt.

This is pretty much Anjum's original recipe with minor adaptions such as additional fresh chillies and cinnamon powder.

Serves 4-6

For meatballs

500g minced lamb
3 large sliced of bread, breadcrumbed
1 egg beaten
1 tsp salt
5g fresh ginger, grated
2 cloves garlic, crushed

For the sauce

4 fresh tomatoes
20g fresh ginger, grated
5 cloves garlic, crushed
4tbsp mild olive oil
8 green cardamon pods
8-10 cloves
2.5cm cinnamon stick
3 bay leaves
2 onions, finely chopped
2-3 green chillies, finely chopped
2tsp coriander
1/2 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 mace
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
3 handfuls of peas
large handful of coriander

Using your hands mix together all the ingredients for the meatballs until well combined. Make walnut sized meatballs from this mixture and place on a tray. You will get around 25 meatballs.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan (preferably non stick). Add all the whole spices including the bay leaves and cook until aromatic (around 30 seconds). Then add the onion along with the green chillies and cook until golden brown. Add the blended tomatoes, ginger, garlic and all the powdered spices including the salt. Cook the sauce on a medium to high heat until the sauce thickens to a paste like texture.

Add 700ml of water and bring to a boil. Pop all the meatballs into the simmering curry. Simmer, covered for 10 minutes, then add the peas, and cook uncovered for further 10 minutes or until the curry has reduced down to a gravy like consistency.