Piquant Lamb Curry

° Serves 4

This lamb curry is made in a pressure cooker. After the pressure has built up, it takes just 30 minutes to cook, compared to over an hour in a Dutch oven on the stovetop. You can also make the curry ahead and either refrigerate or freeze it, then reheat. (Alternatively, though, you can cook the curry in a saucepan for about 1½ hours, adding the apple and banana in the last 30 minutes of cooking.)

I have flavored this curry in the conventional way with onion, garlic, and ginger, but I also like to add a banana and an apple, with great results. I use a soft white-fleshed apple, like a McIntosh or Rome Beauty, and I leave the skin on to lend some texture. Apple cider intensifies the flavor.

Serve this over rice, plain noodles, or potatoes.

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 pounds boneless lean lamb, cut into 2-inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1½ tablespoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 onions (6 ounces total), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (1½ cups)
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped (1 tablespoon)
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
• 1 banana, peeled and sliced
• 1 large apple (about 8 ounces), cored and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1½ cups apple cider
• 1½ teaspoons salt

Melt the butter in a pressure cooker. When the melted butter is hot, add the meat and cook over high heat for 15 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes, until the meat is seared and lightly browned on all sides.

Sprinkle the flour, curry powder, and cumin over the meat and mix well. Add the remaining ingredients, mix well, and bring to a boil, stirring. Lock on the lid and bring up to the correct pressure following the manufacturer’s instructions. Reduce the heat to very low and cook for 30 minutes.

Depressurize the cooker (again according to the manufacturer’s instructions) and serve.