
Lamb Naga Phall
The hottest curry-house dish: pre-cooked lamb in a fierce dark gravy built on Naga chillies and phaal-strength curry spice.
Overview
An extremely hot British curry-house phall featuring Naga chillies and Mr Naga pickle for intense heat balanced with rich flavors. This dish is not for the faint-hearted; serve with cooling accompaniments like rice, naan, and cold lager.
Ingredients
Chilli paste
- 4 habanero chillies, finely chopped (blended with water to paste)
Base
- 2 tbsp rapeseed (canola) oil or mustard oil
- ½ small onion, finely chopped
- ½ red bell pepper, diced
Aromatics and spices
- 1 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
- 1 tbsp Mr Naga chilli pickle (optional but recommended)
- 1 tbsp Mixed Powder (or curry powder)
- 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- 70 ml (¼ cup) tomato purée
Sauce and protein
- 300 ml Curry Base Gravy
- 200 g lamb tikka or Pre-cooked Lamb
Finishers
- Salt, to taste
- 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi)
- ½ tsp Garam Masala
- 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander (cilantro)
Method
Stage 1 - Prepare chilli paste
- Blend habanero chillies with enough water to make a paste; set aside.
Stage 2 - Fry vegetables
- Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
- Add onion and fry 5 minutes until soft and translucent.
- Stir in red bell pepper and cook 1 minute.
Stage 3 - Add aromatics and spices
- Add garlic and ginger paste, blended habaneros, and Mr Naga pickle (if using); cook 30 seconds, stirring.
- Add mixed powder, Kashmiri chilli powder, and tomato purée; stir.
- Add 125 ml (½ cup) base sauce and bring to simmer.
Stage 4 - Add lamb and finish
- Add lamb tikka or pre-cooked lamb with a splash of cooking liquid.
- Cook 5 minutes to heat through, adding more base sauce if needed; scrape caramelized bits.
- Season with salt; rub kasoori methi between fingers and sprinkle.
- Garnish with garam masala and coriander.
Notes
- Extremely hot; adjust habaneros and Naga pickle for tolerance while preserving flavor.
- Use ghost chillies for maximum heat, but they may overpower other ingredients.
- Cook outdoors if possible to avoid overwhelming indoor spice fumes.
Serving
- Serve with steamed rice, naan, papadams, and ice-cold lager to cool down.
- Garnish with extra coriander and lime wedges.
Storage
- Refrigerate 2-3 days in an airtight container.
- Freeze up to 2 months; thaw fully before reheating.
- Reheat gently on low heat with a splash of stock or water.
- Best eaten within 24 hours for peak intensity.
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