Our family eats this so frequently that, along with a moong dal, rice, a yogurt relish, and pickles, we consider this to be our “soul food” meal. Nothing fancy here, only the homey and soothing.

Ingredients

　　3 tablespoons olive or canola oil

　　Two 3-inch cinnamon sticks

　　1 medium onion, finely chopped

　　1 teaspoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger

　　3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

　　2 pounds ground lamb

　　3 tablespoons plain yogurt

　　3 tablespoons tomato puree

　　1 teaspoon ground cumin

　　2 teaspoons ground coriander

　　1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

　　1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

　　1 3/4 teaspoons salt

　　10 ounces boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes

　　Pour the oil into a large frying pan or sauté pan and set over medium-high heat. When hot put in the cinnamon sticks and let them sizzle for 5 seconds. Put in the onions and stir and fry until the onion pieces turn brown at the edges. Add the ginger and garlic and stir for a minute. Add the lamb. Stir and fry, breaking up the lumps until the meat loses its redness. Add the yogurt, tomato puree, cumin, coriander, cayenne, and turmeric and stir for a minute. Add the salt, potatoes, and 2 cups water. Stir and bring to a boil. Cover, turn heat to low, and cook gently for 30 minutes.

　　Excerpted from At Home with Madhur Jaffrey: Simple, Delectable Dishes from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka by Madhur Jaffrey. Copyright © 2010 by Random House. Excerpted by permission of Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.Buy the full book from Amazon.