Long Tan's Lamb Curry

You know that episode of "Sex & The City" where Miranda gets upset that the woman at her Chinese delivery knows her order so well she finishes Miranda's sentence? Well, that may soon happen to me.

Our favorite place to order in from here in Park Slope is Long Tan, a Thai restaurant on 5th Ave. between Union and Berkley. I long ago decided that Long Tan would replace Pongsri as our favorite Park Slope Thai restaurant and now it's become the place we order in from exclusively.

We should have their number on speed dial. Craig and I each have our two favorite dishes that rotate: Craig rotates between the Pad Thai with shrimp and the Pad Seeu; I rotate between wok-seared Udon Noodles and, of course, the lamb curry.

The thing about the lamb curry is that it's a stew: the lamb is braised for hours and it's infused with the heat from the curry powder and then sweetness from coconut milk. More importantly, this is one of those slow-cooked dishes that foodies often hold up as the kind of thing you can't get at a fast food restaurant; and here I can get it delivered just by pressing seven numbers.

So I order it. A lot. It's a perfect winter dish and I'm kind of addicted. I'm sure you could easily make it at home--I'd guess you brown lamb shoulder, add potatoes and pearl onions, curry powder and tumeric perhaps, and then a liquid--maybe beef stock?--and you let it simmer until it's fork tender. At the end you add coconut milk. That's my theory.

But if you live in Park Slope and you're lazy, just do what I do: call Long Tan. Or go there. Their lamb curry is the best.