Mutton in the Burmese Style

Ingredients:

1 batch Burmese curry paste
875g mutton leg steaks, diced into 4cm cubes
1½ tbsp Soy sauce
3 x 3cm cubes ginger
10 Pickling onions
12 garlic cloves
4 tbsp tamarind paste
2 tbsp Dark brown sugar
Salt, to taste

Method:

Combine the mutton, curry paste and soy sauce in a bowl. Cover and set aside to marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel the ginger and cut it into very thin slices. Stack a few slices at a time together and cut them into matchstick strips. Peel the shallots and the garlic, leaving them whole. Put the pork and its marinade into a wide, heavy, preferably non-stick pan, set it over a medium-low heat and bring it to a simmer. Simmer gently for 15ȓ20 minutes or until the meat starts to release its fat. Turn the heat to medium-high. Stir and fry for about 10 minutes or until the spice mixture begins to dry out and brown.

Now add 450ml water, the ginger strips, the whole shallots and the whole cloves of garlic. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover and cook for 45 minutes or until the mutton is tender. Add the tamarind paste or lemon juice and brown sugar. Mix and taste, adding more of each if you think you need it. Add salt if desired. Cook for another 2-3 minutes to allow the flavours to develop and mingle. Serve on a bed of rice.