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1
Place the lamb in a deep bowl and sprinkle it with cumin, turmeric and salt, turning the cubes about with a spoon to coat them evenly.
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2
Add the yogurt, onions, coriander, ginger and garlic, and toss the ingredients together until thoroughly blended.
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3
Marinate the lamb (covered loosely with foil) at room temperature for at least 2 hours or in the refrigerator for 4 to 6 hours.
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4
Light a layer of coals in a charcoal broiler and let them burn until white ash appears on the surface, or preheat the broiler of your kitchen stove to the highest possible point.
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5
Remove the lamb from the marinade and string it on 3 or 4 long skewers, pressing the cubes tightly together.
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6
If you plan to broil the lamb in the stove, suspend the skewers side by side across the length or width of a large baking pan, preferable lined with an open-meshed racked upon which the bottom of the meat can rest.
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7
Broil about 3 inches (8 cm) from the heat, turning the skewers occasionally, for 10 to 20 minutes, or until the lamb is brown and is done to your taste.
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8
To serve, slide the lamb off the skewers with a knife, mound it attractively on a heated platter, and sprinkle it with garam masala.
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9
GARAM MASALA Preheat the oven to 200F (90C).
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10
Spread the cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, cumin, coriander and peppercorns in one layer in a large shallow roasting pan.
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11
Roast on the bottom shelf of the oven for 30 minutes, stirring and turning the mixture two or three times with a large spoon.
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12
Do not let the spices brown.
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13
Break open the cardamom pods between your fingers or place them one at a time on a flat surface and press down on the pod with the ball of your thumb to snap it open.
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14
Pull the pod away from the seeds inside and discard it.
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15
Set the seeds aside.
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16
Place the roasted cinnamon sticks between the two layers of a folded linen towel and pound them with a rolling pin or a kitchen mallet until they are finely crushed.
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17
Combine the cardamom seeds, crushed cinnamon, cloves, cumin seeds, coriander seeds and peppercorns in a small pan or bowl and stir them together until they are well mixed.
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18
Grind the spices a cup or so at a time by pouring them into the jar of an electric blender and blending at high speed for 2 or 3 minutes, until they are completely pulverized and become a smooth powder.
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19
If the machine clogs and stops, turn it off, stir the spices once or twice, then continue blending.
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20
As each cupful of spices is ground, transfer it to a jar or bottle with a tightly fitting lid.
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21
Garam masala may be stored at room temperature in an airtight container, and will retain its full flavor for 5 or 6 months.
