Spices & Curry Trouble

We buy our spices at the Spice Shop just off the Portobello Road.

This tiny emporium reminds me of the spice vendors in the central souk in Damascus piled high as it is with seeds, arils, barks, buds, stigmas, roots, rhizomes and resins that are the culinary riches of exotic lands. All this is presided over by Birgit Erath who started the business in 1990. Nowadays, though the shop is the front of the business, the back end is run from a large warehouse in Germany.

Birgit is passionate and knowledgeable about spices and finds many rare and interesting varieties on her travels. She also blends many tradional spice blends such as Za'atar, Ras al Hanout and various Garam Masala. All of this is available to order online but a visit to the shop is also worth the trip especially if Birgit is around. She also runs the occasional course at Book for Cooks just opposite the shop. (The Spice Shop: 1 Blenheim Crescent, W11 2EE London)


So we did curry the rest of the lamb leg on Monday night. Unfortunately, the young man has decided that, "Dad, I just really don't like curry".

I don't think this is actually correct as he has previously eaten other curries with both lamb and chicken. I think it's because I chose to make Saag Ghosh which is generously laced with spinach. Fortunately he had already grazed on 1/2 pack of oat biscuits and an entire block of cheddar whilst the cooking proceeded...anyway

Saag Ghosh

2 tblspn good sunflower oil
5 Cardamom
2 Bay leaves
2" Cinnamon

2 Sweet Onions
2 Garlic cloves chopped
1" fresh ginger peeled and chopped

The rest of the lamb cubed
250 ml passatta
500g fresh spinach
50ml veal stock

2 tspns coriander seeds
2 tspns cumin seeds (slightly roasted)
2 dried Kashmiri chillies
1/2 tspn salt
1 star anise
- all these ground quite fine in the pestle

Garam Masala - to finish

Heat the oil in a saute pan. Add the cardamon, cinnamon and bay leaves. After a minute add the onions, garlic and ginger. Soften the onions until they just begin to turn. Add the meat and ground spices and sauté for a few minutes turning the meat and mixing in the onions. Add the veal stock, (actually I used the left-over gravy), and the passatta. When this is simmering pile the spinach on top. Turn down the gas, put the pan on a diffuser, cover and wait for the spinach to cook through. Uncover, stir in the spinach and taste. Add garam masala if it is needed and reduce the liquid until it is a thick sauce.




Spice photo credit: Eloeeze