Mary Berry's delicious leftover lamb curry recipe offers the perfect solution for busy evenings, transforming Sunday roast remains into a flavourful meal in just 30 to 35 minutes with minimal preparation required.
The Perfect Weeknight Dinner Solution
For those who find themselves with surplus roast lamb after a Sunday lunch, this straightforward curry provides an excellent way to utilise leftovers while creating a satisfying dinner with minimal effort. Prepared entirely on the hob, this recipe requires basic kitchen staples and comes together with remarkable simplicity.
Adaptable and Nutritious
The beauty of this curry lies in its wonderful adaptability. While the recipe calls for specific ingredients, home cooks can easily incorporate whatever spare vegetables they have available in their refrigerator. For an additional nutritional boost, consider stirring through peas or spinach during the final cooking stages – or indeed both vegetables for extra colour and texture.
Leftover Lamb Curry Recipe
Ingredients
- 500g cooked leftover lamb, cut into bite-sized chunks
- One large onion, finely chopped
- Two garlic cloves, crushed
- One tablespoon fresh ginger
- Two tablespoons mild curry powder
- One teaspoon ground cumin
- One teaspoon ground coriander
- One tablespoon tomato purée
- 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 250ml lamb or chicken stock
- Two tablespoons vegetable oil
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Fresh coriander, as garnish
- Cooked basmati rice, to serve
Method
- Warm the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and cook until softened, which should take approximately eight minutes. Stir in the crushed garlic and fresh ginger, cooking for one additional minute until fragrant.
- Add the mild curry powder, ground cumin, and ground coriander to the pan, stirring well to combine. Next, incorporate the tomato purée, chopped tomatoes, and stock. Allow the mixture to simmer gently for 10 to 15 minutes until the sauce has slightly thickened.
- Stir in the cooked lamb chunks and continue simmering for 10 minutes to allow the flavours to meld beautifully. Season with salt and black pepper according to your taste preferences.
- Serve the finished curry garnished with fresh coriander alongside fluffy basmati rice. For a complete meal, consider adding warm naan bread and plain yoghurt on the side.
Storage and Adaptations
Properly stored in an airtight container, leftover lamb curry will remain fresh in the refrigerator for up to three days. It is recommended to allow the curry to cool completely before refrigerating to maintain optimal quality and food safety standards.
For longer storage, this dish freezes exceptionally well and will keep for up to two months when properly packaged. The recipe demonstrates wonderful versatility – the lamb can easily be substituted with cooked chicken or beef, depending on whatever meat you might have remaining from your Sunday roast.
This Mary Berry creation exemplifies how simple ingredients and straightforward techniques can transform leftovers into a restaurant-quality meal that requires minimal time investment, making it an ideal choice for busy weeknights when convenience and flavour are equally important.
