Lamb Tikka Masala Recipe

• Level: Intermediate
• Yield: 6 servings
• Nutritional Information (per serving): Serving size 1 of 6 servings, Calories 560, Total Fat 46 g, Saturated Fat 20 g, Carbohydrates 17 g, Dietary Fiber 6 g, Sugar 7 g, Protein 24 g, Cholesterol 87 mg, Sodium 735 mg
• Total Time: 1 hr 15 min
• Preparation Time: 25 min
• Cooking Time: 50 min

• 2 tablespoons garam masala, divided (see recipe below)
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon toasted, ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon toasted, ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds lamb leg sirloin, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 cup plain whole milk yogurt
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 medium serrano chile, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup coconut milk
• Fresh mint or cilantro leaves for garnish

Garam Masala:

• 2 tablespoons cardamom seeds
• 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon brown mustard seeds
• 2 tablespoons black peppercorns
• 20 cloves
• 1 dried arbol chile, stemmed, seeded, and crushed
• 1 (2 1/2-inch) cinnamon stick, halved
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Instructions

1. Special Equipment: You'll need a chimney starter, newspaper, vegetable oil, 4 pounds of natural lump charcoal, and metal skewers. Fire up your grill and dive into this aromatic adventure!
2. Mix 1 tablespoon garam masala, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, cumin, coriander, and black pepper in a 1-gallon resealable bag. Shake to blend, add lamb cubes, toss to coat, then mix in yogurt. Massage until evenly covered and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour for maximum flavor infusion.
3. Lightly oil 4-5 sheets of newspaper, place in chimney starter, fill halfway with charcoal, and ignite. Let coals ash over for smoky perfection.
4. Dump ashed charcoal onto kettle grill grate, spread evenly, top with unlit charcoal for sustained heat. Add second grate and cover until cooking time.
5. Heat vegetable oil in a 12-inch saut pan until shimmering. Add onions and remaining salt; cook 11-12 minutes until browned. Stir in garlic, ginger, and chile; cook 7 minutes more until soft. Sprinkle with remaining garam masala and stir to toast the spices.
6. Add diced tomatoes, simmer 15-20 minutes until thickened and deepened in colorpure bliss in a pan!
7. Thread marinated lamb onto skewers, grill 2 minutes per side until yogurt chars enticingly. Remove from skewers.
8. Stir grilled lamb and coconut milk into sauce; heat through. Garnish with mint or cilantro and serve with steaming basmati rice. Your taste buds will thank you!

Garam Masala Preparation:

1. In an 8-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, toast cardamom, coriander, cumin, mustard seeds, peppercorns, cloves, arbol chile, and cinnamon, stirring until cumin aroma blooms, 3-4 minutes. Cool on a plate 5 minutes.
2. Grind cooled spices with nutmeg in a spice grinder until fine. Use right away or store airtight up to one monthfresh spices make all the difference!