Chocolate hogget curry
Hogget is a young sheep, but older than lamb and with a deeper flavour. If you can’t get hold of hogget, lamb and goat also work well in this rich and spicy curry.
Ingredients
- 1kg/2lb 4oz hogget on the bone, chopped into large chunks (rinsed well in lemon water and drained)
- 3 tbsp green seasoning
- vegetable oil, for frying
- 300g/10½oz medium onion, roughly chopped
- 70²µ/2½´Ç³ú garlic cloves, peeled (about 1 large garlic bulb)
- 70²µ/2½´Ç³ú fresh turmeric, peeled
- 10²µ/â…“o³ú black cardamom
- 10²µ/â…“o³ú green cardamom
- 10²µ/â…“o³ú star anise
- 10²µ/â…“o³ú cinnamon sticks (about 5 sticks)
- 5g whole cloves
- 20g/â…”oz ground cumin
- 20g/â…”oz ground coriander
- 2 Scotch bonnet chillies, finely chopped
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 fresh bay leaves
- 2 litres/3½ pints lamb or beef stock
- 100ml/3½fl oz molasses, treacle or carob molasses
- 2 medium waxy potatoes, chopped
- 80g/3oz dark chocolate (80% cocoa solids)
- 30g/1oz unsalted butter
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve
- 2 spring onions, sliced
- freshly chopped coriander
- freshly chopped flatleaf parsley
Method
In a bowl, coat the hogget in the green seasoning. Season with salt and pepper and mix again.
Heat a large, deep pan over a high heat. Add 4 tablespoons oil and, once hot, add the hogget and brown all over. Remove the meat from the pan and set aside.
Put the onion, garlic cloves and turmeric in a food processor and blend until smooth.
Add a splash of oil to the pan. Add the onion mixture, along with the whole spices. Fry for 5 minutes over a medium heat. Add a little more oil, then stir in the ground spices and fry for a further 5 minutes.
Add the hogget, chilli, thyme and bay leaves. Turn up the heat and cook for 15–20 minutes to further brown and caramelise the meat, stirring intermittently.
Stir in the stock and molasses. The liquid should just cover the meat. Turn down the heat to low, cover with a lid and cook for 1½ hours. You might need to top up the liquid to prevent the curry drying out, if so, just add enough water or stock to reach the meat.
Add the potatoes to the pan and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook for a further 30 minutes–1½ hours, or until the meat is tender and falling off the bone.
When the meat is tender, check the seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed. Stir in the chocolate and butter, then simmer for 20 minutes to let them melt into the finished curry.
Garnish with sliced spring onions and a handful of freshly chopped coriander and parsley.
