Nigerian Lamb Curry Stew
A rich and flavorful lamb stew with a creamy curry sauce, infused with traditional West African spices. This dish is slow-cooked to ensure the lamb is fall-apart tender and the flavors meld beautifully.
🧂 Ingredients
- 1 kg Lamb leg steaks(trimmed of fat and cubed into bite-sized pieces)
- 4 tbsp Vegetable oil
- 1 large Onion(finely chopped)
- 3 cloves Garlic(minced)
- 1 inch piece Ginger(grated)
- 2 medium Scotch bonnet chilies(1 finely chopped, 1 left whole and pierced)
- 4 tbsp Curry powder
- 1 tsp Dried thyme
- 1 large Vegetable seasoning cube(crumbled)
- 200 g Tinned chopped tomatoes
- 200 ml Coconut milk
- 200 ml Water
- to taste Salt
- to taste Black pepper
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
In a bowl, combine the lamb with the crumbled seasoning cube, salt, and pepper. Mix well and set aside.
💡 Tip: Marinating the lamb for at least an hour (or overnight in the fridge) will enhance the flavor. - 2
In a small blender or food processor, combine the chopped onion, minced garlic, grated ginger, and finely chopped scotch bonnet chili. Blend to a smooth paste.
- 3
In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the lamb in batches and brown on all sides. Remove the lamb and set aside.
- 4
Add the blended paste to the same pot and sauté for 3-4 minutes until fragrant.
- 5
Stir in the curry powder and dried thyme, and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- 6
Add the tinned chopped tomatoes, coconut milk, and water to the pot. Stir well to combine.
- 7
Return the browned lamb to the pot, along with the whole pierced scotch bonnet chili. Stir everything together.
💡 Tip: The whole chili will infuse flavor without making the stew overly spicy. - 8
Bring the stew to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for 2 hours, or until the lamb is very tender.
💡 Tip: Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. - 9
For the last 15 minutes of cooking, remove the lid and increase the heat slightly to allow the sauce to thicken to your desired consistency.
- 10
Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Remove the whole scotch bonnet chili before serving.
💡 Tip: Serve hot with rice or couscous.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓For a spicier stew, add more scotch bonnet chilies or leave the whole one in for longer.
- ✓If the sauce is too thick, add a little more water or coconut milk.
- ✓This stew tastes even better the next day as the flavors have more time to meld.
✨ Twist Ideas
Inspiration for your own version of this recipe
- Add other vegetables like diced carrots or potatoes along with the lamb in step 8.
- For a milder flavor, use a milder chili pepper instead of scotch bonnet.