Who's afraid of the pressure cooker? I sure was. But in order to make my grandmother's fiery mustard lamb curry -- my idea of "home" in a bowl -- I eventually had to face my nightmare scenario that the lid of the pressure cooker would burst off and scorching steam and liquid would spray all around my tiny New York apartment ... or worse, all over me. <br /> <br />It was totally worth it though to dust off my pressure cooker still in its packaging and face my fears for this dish. The key is to cut the pieces of lamb and potatoes into the same bite-sized pieces. This way, with every spoonful you get a medley of lamb and potatoes veiled in a velvety mustard curry sauce. On a cold fall day, if you feel the sniffles coming on, this will clear your sinuses and leave you feeling cozy. The dish goes well with rice or chapatis, but I just like to have it by itself out of a cereal bowl while watching cartoons. <br /> <br />So, is the pressure cooker absolutely necessary for this dish? No. One can certainly cook the lamb in a covered pot or a slow cooker, but softening the meat in the pressure cooker takes about 15 minutes. That means I can make this on a weeknight, on a whim, for surprise dinner guests, at any time at all, because after all, a hankering for home can hit any time.

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