Lamb and Beer Curry

I found this excellent curry recipe in the goodtoknow.co.uk website
This recipe called for potatoes but one member of the family, is not eating food from the nightshade family for a month or so, therefore I used sweet potato (kumara) instead
It worked well
Pretty too
Perfect for a winter night

2 tablespoons rice bran oil
1 red onion, sliced
2.5 cm piece of fresh ginger, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp chopped fresh turmeric
1 red chili, finely sliced
1 tsp cardamom seeds
1 tbs finely chopped lemon grass, outer Leaves removed
2 tbsp red curry paste
700g  lamb leg, no bone, cut into 4 cm chunks
125g  plain yoghurt
330ml bottle of 8% ale
3 potatoes, or sweet potatoes peeled and each cut into six pieces
1 large handful fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped
16 sugar snap peas, topped and tailed
16 green beans, topped and tailed

Heat the oven to 170°C
Blanch the prepared peas and beans, in boiling salted water, for just a minute
Drain and set aside
Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole dish over medium heat.
Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until lightly caramelized. 

Add the ginger, garlic, turmeric and chili and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes.
Stir in the cardamom seeds and lemongrass powder and cook for a few minutes more.
Stir in the curry paste and cook until fragrant,
then add the lamb pieces and stir well to thoroughly coat all the lamb with the paste.

Stir in the yoghurt, bring to a simmer,
then add the beer, stirring well to combine.
Bring back to a simmer.
Put the lid on the dish, place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes.




Meanwhile, toss sweet potato with 1 tbs red curry paste and 1 tbs rice bran oil
And roast for 20 minutes
Toss with 2 tbs coriander

and add to casserole
Then back into oven for another 30- 40 minutes lid on

the meat should be quite tender by now.
Add the sugar snap peas and beans and bake, still covered, for a final 5 minutes. 

Stir the remaining coriander through just before serving.