Beat high blood pressure with fragrant lamb with spinach

This enticing curry is warmly spiced rather than fiery hot with chilis. Serve it with basmati rice, chapatis or naan bread and a fresh tomato and cucumber chutney for a healthy Indian-style meal that can also help your blood pressure.

Preparation time 20 to 25 minutes 

Cooking time 1 hour 20 minutes

Serves 4

• 30 ml (2 tbsp) canola oil
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 5 cm (2 in) piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
• 1 red chili pepper, seeded and sliced
• 10 ml (2 tsp) paprika
• 10 ml (2 tsp) ground cumin
• 10 ml (2 tsp) ground coriander
• 5 ml (1 tsp) ground white pepper
• 2ml (1/2 tsp) ground cinnamon
• Seeds from 8 green cardamom pods, crushed
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt to taste
• 250 ml (1 c) plain, nonfat yogurt
• 150 g (2/3 c) water
• 500 g (1 lb) lean boneless lamb, cubed
• 2 large tomatoes, chopped
• 250 g (8 oz) fresh baby spinach
• 60 ml (4 tbsp) chopped fresh cilantro
• Sprigs of fresh cilantro to garnish

1. Heat the oil in a large pot or flameproof casserole. Add the onions, garlic and ginger, and sauté, stirring frequently, until the onions are golden, about 15 minutes.

2. Stir in the chili, paprika, cumin, coriander, white pepper, cinnamon, crushed cardamom seeds, bay leaves and salt. Stir briefly over a moderate heat, then stir in the yogurt and water. Add the lamb, mix well and cover the pan. Simmer gently until the lamb is tender, about 1 1/4 hours.

3. Add the tomatoes, spinach and chopped cilantro. Cook, stirring, until the tomatoes have softened slightly and the spinach has wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Taste for seasoning and remove the bay leaf. Serve garnished with fresh cilantro.

• The basic curry sauce in this recipe can be used to cook other meats or vegetables. Cubes of skinless, boneless chicken or turkey breast (fillet) are delicious, as are lean boneless pork chops. All of these need only 40 minutes simmering in the sauce. A mixture of vegetables — halved new potatoes, cauliflower florets, sliced carrots and chunks of parsnip — is good, too. Use 750 grams (1 1/2 pounds) total weight and cook for 30 minutes.

Tomato Chutney:

• Serve this with the curry. Finely chop and mix together 4 plum tomatoes, 1/2 cucumber, 1 small onion, 1 seeded fresh green chili pepper and 60 millilitres (4 tablespoons) chopped fresh cilantro.

• Cardamom is believed to help relieve digestive problems such as indigestion, flatulence and stomach cramps, and it can help prevent acid regurgitation and belching.

Each serving provides:

Key nutrients: 320 Calories, 130 Calories from Fat, 14 g Fat, 3 g Saturated Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 30g  Protein, 21 g Carb, 5 g Fibre, 170 mg Sodium

Blood pressure nutrients: 81 mg Vitamin C, 100 mg Magnesium, 1035 mg Potassium, 195 mg Calcium