Servings: 6
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Start to Finish Time: 2 hours
This Thai/Indian dish is an excellent use of leftover lamb.
A Delicious Fusion for Leftover Lamb
Leftover lamb doesn’t always inspire excitement, but this bold curry transforms yesterday’s roast into a deeply flavorful, satisfying dish. Drawing inspiration from both Thai and Indian kitchens, this recipe is a brilliant fusion—an aromatic curry that feels both comfortingly familiar and refreshingly new. It’s not just a way to use leftovers; it’s a dish you’ll want to make on purpose.
Aromatics with a Twist
The heart of this curry begins with an unexpected combination—onion, celery, garlic, ginger, and apple—blended together to form a base that’s both savory and subtly sweet. The apple, though unusual in a curry, softens into the background and helps round out the heat, delivering a silky texture and mellow complexity that sets this curry apart.
Layered with Warmth and Spice
What makes this curry sing is its aromatic depth. Red curry paste provides the main flavor punch, carrying notes of lemongrass, galangal, and chili, while a whole cinnamon stick simmers gently in the sauce, releasing its sweet warmth into every bite. A halved red chili adds just enough heat to awaken the palate without overwhelming it. The result is a sauce that builds flavor gradually—spicy, savory, and gently sweet, all in balance.
The Lamb Reimagined
Chunks of already-cooked lamb are stirred into the sauce to soak up every bit of flavor. As it simmers, the meat becomes even more tender, almost melting into the curry. Unlike a first attempt that turned out a bit mealy in texture, this refined version gets it just right—rich and hearty, yet not heavy.
Bright Finish and the Perfect Bed
A handful of fresh cilantro stirred in at the end adds a vivid, herbal note that brightens the entire dish. Served over a bed of fluffy basmati rice, the curry finds the perfect partner—each grain catching the sauce, each bite delivering a balanced mix of spice, sweetness, and comfort.
Final Thoughts
This is more than a clever way to use up leftover lamb—it’s a recipe worth making again and again. Whether you’re cooking for yourself or looking to impress someone with a creative twist on curry, this dish hits all the right notes.
Tender lamb simmers in a rich red curry with tomato, apple, and spices—sweet, spicy, and aromatic—served over basmati rice with fresh cilantro.
Ingredients:
FOOD PROCESSOR:
2 medium onions
1 each apple, peeled and cored
1 stalk celery
2 cloves garlic
1 2″ piece ginger, peeled and chopped
3/4 cup water
SKILLET:
2 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons red curry paste
1 cup chicken broth, low sodium
1 15-oz can tomatoes, chopped
1 each cinnamon stick
1 each red chili pepper, halved and seeds removed
1 dash salt
1 dash pepper
3 cups lamb, cooked, chopped into large chunks
1 small bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
RICE
1 cup basmati rice
Instructions:
FOOD PROCESSOR (5 minutes):
Using a food processor, puree the onion, apple, celery, garlic, ginger and water until you have a smooth paste.
SKILLET (1 hour 35 minutes):
Melt the butter in a skillet (medium-high) and cook the onion mixture for 20-25 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed and the onion begin to turn golden brown.
Stir in the curry paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
Stir in the tomatoes, cinnamon and red chilli. Season with salt and pepper.
Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a simmer.
Add the lamb to the skillet; cover and simmer for 1 hour (stirring occasionally, adding a little more stock if the sauce is too thick.
Remove the lid and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes to reduce slightly.
Season to taste and stir through the cilantro.
MAKE RICE & SERVE (while lamb cooks, towards end of the time):
Prepare the Basmati rice per package instructions.
Serve with basmati rice.