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• This is an impressive dinner-party dish – serve as a starter. You will find large tomatoes are easier to fill.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 6 large, firm tomatoes; 50 gm unsalted butter; 1 medium onion, finely chopped; 5 tbsp oil; 1 tsp fresh ginger root, finely chopped; 1 tsp fresh garlic, crushed; 1 tsp pepper; 1 tsp salt; ½ tsp garam masala; 450 gm minced lamb; 1 green chilli; fresh coriander leaves.

Cooking Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180º C. Rinse the tomatoes, cut off the tops and scoop out the flesh.
• Grease a heatproof dish with 50g butter. Place the tomatoes in the dish.
• Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onion until golden.
• Lower the heat and add the ginger, garlic, pepper, salt and garam masala. Stir-fry the mixture for 3-5 minutes.
• Add the minced lamb to the saucepan and fry for 10-15 minutes.
• Add the green chilli and fresh coriander leaves and continue stir-frying the mixture for 3-5 minutes.
• Spoon the lamb mixture into the tomatoes and replace the tops. Cook the tomatoes in the oven for 15-20 minutes.
• Transfer the tomatoes to serving plates and serve hot.

This delicious tomato Khorma has a semi-thick sauce and it is liked to serve with Chapatis.

Serves 2 – 4

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp garam masala, 2×2.5 cm cinnamon sticks, 2 firm tomatoes cut into quarters, 1 tsp fresh ginger root finely chopped, 1 tsp salt, 2 tspn lemon juice, 150 ml natural yogurt, 1 tsp fresh garlic crushed, 2 black cardamoms, 1 tsp chilli powder, 2 onions sliced, half tsp black cumin seeds, 600 ml water, fresh coriander leaves and 2 green chillies chopped.

Cooking Method:

• In a large mixing bowl, mix together the garam masala, ginger, garlic, cardamoms, chilli powder, black cumin seeds, cinnamon sticks, salt and the yogurt until well combined.
• Add the meat to the yogurt and spice mixture and mix well to coat the meat. Set aside.
• Heat the oil in a large saucepan and fry the onions until golden brown.
• Add the meat to the pan and stir-fry for about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat, add the water, cover the pan and simmer for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
• Add the tomatoes to the cury and sprinkle with the lemon juice. Leave the curry to simmer for a further 7-10 minutes.
• Garnish the curry with the coriander leaves and the green chillies and serve hot.

Cook’s Tip:

• Khormas are slowly braised dishes, many of which are the rich and spicy, Persian-inspired Mogul dishes served on special occasions. Yogurt is often featured, both as a marinade and as the cooking liquid.

Serves Four

Ingredients:

• 3 small fennel bulbs, 30-45 ml olive oil, 5-6 shallots sliced, 2 garlic cloves crushed, 4 tomatoes peeled and chopped, about 175 ml dry white wine, 15 ml chopped fresh basil or 2.5 ml dried, 40 -50 gm fresh white bread-crumbs, salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Cooking Method:

• Preheat the oven to 150ºC. Trim the fennel bulbs and cut into slices about 1 cm in thick.
• Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and fry the shallots and garlic for about 4-5 minutes over a moderate heat until the shallots are slightly softened.
• Add the tomatoes, stir-fry briefly and then stir in 150 ml cup of the wine, the basil and seasoning.
• Bring to the boil, add the fennel, then cover and cook for 5 minutes.
• Arrange the fennel in layers in an ovenproof dish. Pour over the tomato mixture and sprinkle the top with half the breadcrumbs.
• Bake in the oven for about 1 hour. From time to time, press down on the breadcrumb crust with the back of a spoon and sprinkle over another layer of breadcrumbs and a little more of the wine.
• The crust slowly becomes golden brown and very crunchy.