This really is one from the memory banks! While in Hongkong in the early ’80s one of our favourite restaurants was a little place in the Wanchai district, called SMI. Its calling card was curries from around the Subcontinent and Southeast Asia, and the menu ran to over 50 dishes, many of which we hadn’t come across before and haven’t encountered since. This gorgeous mutton curry is one which has stuck in the mind. It’s not a million miles from a Rogan Josh, to be honest, but redder and considerably hotter! (Note that if you do not enjoy the strong flavour of mutton, this curry can be made just as well with lamb, although we would point out it is tastier when using meat on the bone.) On returning to Hongkong for a visit in 2005 we found SMI to be long gone, so in its memory give this one a try. You won’t be disappointed!
Ingredients
Ghee, coconut oil or sunflower oil (ghee works best)500g mutton or lamb
2 onions
5 cloves garlic
thumb-sized piece of ginger
6 tomatoes
1 largish stick of cinnamon
4 star anise
4 black cardamom pods
3 dried Kashmiri chillies
4tsp Spice Mountain Karachi blend curry powder
3tsp Garam Masala
3tsp Tomato powder/or good squeeze of tomato puree
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