08Apr '10
Spiced Moroccan lamb
This dish is a household favourite – at least in my house! You can vary the spices to your own taste. I don’t normally make it hot but it works well if you want to add extra chilli. Sometimes I make it without the couscous and serve it with rice or garlic bread. It’s all good!
Ingredients (serves 3-4 or 2 really greedy people):
- 500g minced lamb
- 1 red or white onion, chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic finely sliced or crushed
- 2 sticks of celery, chopped
- 1 pepper, chopped
- 2 handfuls of couscous (or bulgar wheat)
- 1 handful of pine nuts
- 2 teaspoons cumin seeds, lightly ground
- 2 teaspoons coriander seeds, lightly ground
- 1-2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
- 1 scant dessertspoon of runny honey
- salt and pepper
- A few crisp leaves of iceberg lettuce to serve
Method:
- Heat a small amount of olive oil or water in a large frying pan or wok and cook the chopped onion with the cumin and coriander for a few minutes.
- Add the celery and stir. Then do the same with the chopped pepper and pine nuts.
- Mix in the ground lamb.
- When the lamb is brown and there is plenty of fat and juice bubbling away, add the couscous, cinnamon, garlic and chilli flakes.
- Let it cook gently with a cover for about 10 or 15 minutes.
- Uncover, pour over the honey.
- Mix well and season to taste.
- Spoon the mixture into the lettuce leaves and serve.
