MUM’S CURRIED LAMB SPAGHETTI

This Recipe Serves 2-3

Mum’s Curried Lamb Spaghetti: A Taste of Home

There are some dishes that go beyond flavour, they carry memories, comfort, and the unmistakable feeling of being home. For me, that dish is Mum’s Curried Lamb Spaghetti.

It wasn’t something you’d find in a recipe book. In fact, I’m not sure Mum ever followed a recipe when she made it. It was one of those creations born out of practicality and love, a way to stretch a bit of lamb, a jar of curry powder, and a packet of spaghetti into something hearty and unforgettable.

The smell alone takes me straight back to childhood evenings: the sizzle of onions in the pan, the gentle hum of curry spices blooming in hot oil, and the rich aroma of lamb simmering until tender. I’d hover around the kitchen, impatient and hungry, waiting for that moment when Mum would say, “It’s ready!”

What makes this dish special isn’t just the fusion of flavours, the comforting spice of curry mixed with the familiarity of spaghetti, but the heart behind it. It’s Mum’s kind of cooking: simple, resourceful, full of warmth, and always shared around a crowded table.

Even now, when I make it myself, it never tastes quite the same. Maybe it’s because nothing can fully replicate that feeling of being home, of someone cooking for you out of pure love. But each bite still brings me back, reminding me of who I am and where I come from.

So here it is, my version of Mum’s Curried Lamb Spaghetti, inspired by all those nights when the kitchen was filled with laughter, spice, and the smell of something wonderful bubbling away on the stove.

Mum’s Curried Lamb Spaghetti Ingredients:

• 250-270 grams of mutton or lamb pieces (she uses lamb as this cooks faster)
• 250 grams spaghetti
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• ½ onion, chopped
• 2 ½ tomatoes, blended
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 star aniseed
• ½ cinnamon stick
• ¼ teaspoon fennel (soomph) seeds
• few sprigs of thyme
• a sprig of curry leaves
• 1 teaspoon ginger & garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• ½ teaspoon cumin (jeera) powder
• ¼ teaspoon coriander (dhania) powder
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 3 tablespoons chilli powder/masala
• ¼ cup fresh coriander (dhania) for cooking
• salt to taste
• handful of freshly chopped coriander (dhania) for garnishing

Method:

1. Rinse mutton or lamb & cut into tiny pieces. (The bone pieces may be used but may be difficult to eat when done as you will have to get your fingers in there to grab the bone pieces).
2. 
3. 
4. Peel and chop the onions.
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6. Rinse and blend the tomatoes.
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8. Heat the vegetable oil in a pot on medium heat and add in the onions, bay leaves, star aniseed, cinnamon stick, fennel (soomph) seeds, thyme and curry leaves.
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10. Mix and sauté until the onions are translucent.
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12. Add in the ginger and garlic paste, garam masala, cumin (jeera) powder, coriander (dhania) powder, turmeric powder, chilli powder/masala and the ¼ cup fresh coriander (dhania).
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14. Mix and simmer for 30 seconds.
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16. Thereafter, add salt to taste and the lamb pieces.
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18. Mix together until the meat is coated in the spices.
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20. Cover and simmer for 2 minutes to allow the meat to seal in the spices.
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22. Add in the spaghetti – do not break them when adding it in.
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24. Add in the blended tomatoes.
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26. Gently mix together without breaking the spaghetti.
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28. Pour in some boiling water to allow the spaghetti to cook.
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30. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
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32. After 10 minutes, you will notice the water dries up.
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34. Add a little more water as it cooks, checking regularly and topping up only when needed until the spaghetti is tender. Be careful not to add too much – you want the spaghetti to cook through without the dish becoming too watery.
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36. When the spaghetti’s done, most of the water should have cooked away.
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38. Turn off the heat and garnish with freshly chopped coriander (dhania).
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40. 
41. Once you’ve dished up your Curried Lamb Spaghetti, it’s time to enjoy the comforting warmth of this simple, soul-satisfying meal.
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43. If you’ve got leftovers (and trust me, they never last long in my house), you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The flavours only get better the next day! You can reheat it gently on the stove with a splash of water if it gets too thick, or pop it in the microwave for a quick fix. This dish also freezes beautifully, so if you want to make a big batch for later, just cool it completely and transfer it to a freezer-safe container. It will keep for up to 3 months – perfect for busy days when you need a comforting meal without the fuss.
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