Gulai Kambing Kak Timah, Kak Timah's Lamb Curry - "Malaysian Monday 92" And A Very Exciting Announcement!

My Malaysian Monday post is fashionably late this week due to work and lack of cooking at home. Well it is better late than never and this is another very special dish from my nanny Kak Timah who taught me so much about the Malay customs and cooking.

After weeks of planning, cooking and tasting, my very first menu is upon completion. And as of Monday the 15th of October I will be running the kitchen of a Nyonya restaurant in Docklands, Melbourne. I must thank tummy and my friends for their emotional support during the past weeks, and the blessing of Kak Timah for using all her recipes.

Two years ago Sharon from Test With Skewer and I started Muhibbah Malaysian Monday to better promote Malaysian cuisine through blogging, now I am doing it in a physical way, who would have thought?

This is a mild but extremely aromatic curry that is heavily influenced by the cooking of Sumatera. It will go well with roti canai, nasi lemak, nasi minyak, nasi kunyit or roti jala. Give this a try or come say hello to me at Little Nyonya @ rear of building 818 Burke Street, shop 2. All 3 hungry tummies readers and blogger friends will enjoy a 20% discount if you mention the magic words - 3 hungry tummies that is! See you then!

Announcement! - I officially left my job on the 10th of August 2013 having spent almost 10 months cooking the food that I know and love best. Unfortunately the lack of support from skilled staff and management's direction (or the lack of it)  for the restaurant have made my job untenable. 

It is all good on my end; my new job does not required me to work on nights or weekends and it is only a 10 minute bike ride from home leaving me plenty of time to cook and blog again! 

recipe from my nanny Kak Timah
serves 6 to 8 as part of a Malaysian meal
you'll need;
2 kg of diced lamb (ask for meat from the leg)
1 tbs of coriander powder
1 tbs of cumin powder
1 tbs of fennel powder
a pinch of salt
3 cloves
2 star anise
1 cinnamon cassia bark
3 bay leaves
5 tomatoes, cut into wedges

for the rempah (curry paste);
2 red onion or 20 shallots, chopped
15 cloves of garlic
5 cm knob of ginger
2 lemongrass (white part only), chopped
2 cm knob of galangal
1 heaped tbs of turmeric powder
12 candlenuts, crushed
12 dried chilies, removed seeds, soaked in hot water for 20 minutes
pinch of salt

Blend spices to a fine paste and set aside.

Add coriander, cumin and fennel powder to the lamb in a large bowl, mix well and allow to stand for at least 10 minutes.

Pan fry lamb pieces in batches until well brown all over, remove and set aside.

Fry curry paste with a cup of cooking oil until oil separates, stirring constantly to prevent catching at the bottom. Add in dried spices and bay leaves and continue to cook for a minute more.

Return the lamb to the pot and mix well, fry lamb in the paste for 2 to 3 minutes. Add coconut milk and simmer for 45 minutes or until lamb is almost tender. Season with salt and sugar.

Add tomatoes and coconut cream and cook for a further 15 minutes. Check for seasonings.

Serve with one of the dishes suggested... preferably with a view such as this :)

The interior of the restaurant.

My friend Sharon will be hosting the October event, so please send all your entries to its.sharon@gmail.com

To find out more about the event and on how to enter, please click here.