Venison madras

• stewing venison1 ½kg kg

  diced into large chunks around 3cm square

• garlic cloves↗8

  grated

• ginger↗thumb-sized piece

  grated

• full-fat plain yogurt↗100ml ml
• sweet smoked paprika↗1 tbsp tbsp
• tomato purée↗60g g
• butter↗100g g
• large onions↗5

  chopped

• garlic cloves↗8

  peeled and grated

• Madras spice paste↗6 tbsp tbsp
• beef stock↗600ml ml
• chopped tomatoes400g can g
• creamed coconut↗100g g

  in a block

• dried curry leaves10
• rice↗

  sliced green chilli and natural yogurt, to serve

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   To make the marinade, mix all the ingredients for it with some salt in a bowl, add the venison and stir to coat, then cover and place in the fridge overnight.

2. 2

   Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Spread the venison out on a baking tray lined with parchment and roast for 30-35 mins, stirring halfway through if needed, until the meat has lots of colour. If the meat is releasing too many juices, spoon some of them off halfway. Reduce the oven to 170C/150C/gas 3.

3. 3

   While the venison is cooking, heat the butter in a large casserole dish and fry the onions for 15 mins over a medium heat until golden brown, then add the garlic and cook for a few mins more. Stir in the spice paste and fry for 5 mins, then add the stock and tomatoes and crumble in the creamed coconut along with the curry leaves. Bring to the boil, add the venison to the dish and stir to coat in the curry sauce. Season with salt, then cover and cook in the oven for 2 hrs-2 hrs 30 mins until the sauce has thickened and the meat is tender. Chill for up to three days and reheat before serving, or freeze for up to three months. Serve with fluffy rice, a dollop of yogurt and some sliced green chilli.