Fragrant Bengali-Style Lamb & Aubergine Curry With Mango Lassi

Before you begin...

This recipe takes around 5-10 min to prep, so get your casserole dish and all your ingredients ready, then wash your fruit and veg

Note: Make sure your dish is oven-proof and safe to use on the hob. Don't have one? Start cooking in a large, wide-based pan then transfer to an oven-proof dish and cover tightly with tin foil

Now, let's get started!

Preheat the oven to 200°C/ 180°C (fan)/ gas 6

Boil a kettle

Trim the green stalk[s] off your aubergine[s] and chop into large chunks

Crush your cardamom pod[s] open by squashing them with the side of a knife

Combine half your natural yoghurt (you'll use the rest later!) with your garam masala, chopped aubergine, diced lamb and a generous drizzle of vegetable oil

Add a generous pinch of salt and pepper and give it a good mix up – this is your marinated lamb and aubergine

Heat a large, wide-based hob-safe oven-proof casserole dish with a matching lid with a drizzle of vegetable oil over a medium-high heat

Once hot, add your bay leaf[ves], crushed cardamom and black mustard seeds and cook for 1 min or until fragrant

Once fragrant, add your crispy onions

Tip: Watch them like a hawk to make sure they don't burn!

Add your marinated lamb and aubergine and give everything a good mix up

Once well combined, add 1 tbsp [1 1/2 tbsp] [2 tbsp] flour with your tamarind & coconut curry paste, tomato paste and ginger & garlic paste

Add your beef stock mix with 450ml [580ml] [750ml] boiled water

Bring to the boil over a high heat, then cover with the lid and put the dish in the oven for 55 min or until the sauce has thickened and the lamb is cooked through – this is your fragrant Bengali-style lamb & aubergine curry

Once the curry has had 30 min, reboil the kettle

Add your basmati rice to an oven-proof dish with 300ml [390ml] [600ml] boiled water

Cover tightly with tin foil and put the dish in the oven for 25-30 min or until all the water has absorbed and the rice is cooked

While the rice is cooking, cut your green chilli[es] in half lengthways, deseed (scrape the seeds out with a teaspoon) and slice lengthways finely – this is your julienne chilli

Use this time to clear up, set the table, have a cup of tea or simply chill!

Once ready, leave the fragrant Bengali-style lamb & aubergine curry to stand for 3 min before serving (this helps the flavours to develop!)