Aside from the meat for this simple lamb curry ( you may use chicken thighs if you prefer ) , the shopping list is relatively short : onion , ginger , garlic , turmeric , cumin , coriander , peppercorns , clove , cayenne and cinnamon .
Farmers began developing methods to fatten the birds-some used wheat bread soaked in wine , while others swore by a mixture of cumin seeds , barley and lizard fat .
At that point , add chopped vegetables such as onions , tomatoes , or bell peppers , along with spices such as cumin , garlic , salt , pepper and fresh or dried herbs .