Lamb Colombo
Submitted by trueblue
A French-Caribbean lamb stew from Martinique and Guadeloupe, simmered with Colombo curry powder, ginger, garlic, boniato or potato, and calabaza squash. Make-ahead friendly and even better the next day.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
1 hrsREADY
2 hrsColombo is the Caribbean’s answer to curry, brought from Sri Lanka by indentured workers and reinvented in the French islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe. The blend itself is unmistakable: turmeric, coriander, cumin, mustard seed, and toasted rice that gives it a faintly nutty character no other curry has.
This lamb version is the classic preparation. Cubed leg meat browns hard for the foundation, then the spice paste of garlic, ginger, scallions, and Colombo powder gets a quick toast to wake up the spices before the long, slow simmer. Boniato (a Caribbean sweet potato) and calabaza squash go in for the last 30 minutes so they soak up the gravy without falling apart. Yukon Gold potatoes and butternut squash work just as well if you can’t find the originals.
A late hit of fresh lime juice and a shower of cilantro right at the end is what makes the whole pot sing. Skip them and the stew tastes muddy and tired.
Pro Tips
- Brown the lamb hard and in batches. Crowding steams the meat and you lose the fond that builds the gravy.
- Toast the Colombo powder for a full minute in the aromatics. Untoasted curry powder tastes raw and dusty.
- Make it a day ahead. Like most stews, the flavors meld and deepen overnight in the fridge.
- Don’t add the lime juice until just before serving. Acid added early dulls during long cooking.
- Boniato is starchier and less sweet than American sweet potato, so swap with Yukon Gold rather than orange-fleshed sweet potato to stay true to the texture.
Variations
- Swap lamb for chicken thighs, goat, or even shrimp (added in just the last 5 minutes).
- Add a Scotch bonnet or habanero to the pot whole, fish it out before serving, for Caribbean heat without burn.
- Serve over white rice with a side of fried plantains for a full island plate.
Ingredients
Directions
- Boniato - a Carribbean Sweet potato that is not as sweet as an American sweet potato - you can substitute any good boiling potato, such as Yukon Gold.
NOTE: While this dish is traditionally made with kid, other meats, poultry or seafood are all delicious in this recipe.
Heat ½ tablespoon of the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Season lamb with salt and pepper and brown on all sides, working in batches if necessary to keep from crowding the pan.
With a slotted spoon, transfer the lamb to a platter lined with paper towels.
Pour off any fat.
Heat the remaining ½ tablespoon oil over medium heat.
Add onions, scallions or chives, garlic and ginger; cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft but not brown, about 3 minutes.
Stir in Colombo Powder and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Return the lamb to the pan.
Add 5 cup of stock or water, tomato paste and thyme.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour.
Add boniatos or potatoes and calabaza or squash and continue to cook, covered, for 30 minutes more, or until very tender.
Add additional stock or water as necessary to keep the stew moist.
(The stew can be prepared 2 days ahead to this stage and reheated.) Just before serving, stir in lime juice and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.
Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.
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