Tuesday 2 April 2013

Lamb Tagine

I love spicy food, more so than James. This was so spicy it burnt his tongue keep that in mind and perhaps halve the chilli or omit it if you don't like spicy things.

Yesterday was awesome I ran my first 7km run with under 5 mins km's (and at pretty much my heaviest body weight) and then did an ginormous hike with James and Molly then I got home & started cooking 'cause I find it relaxing. It was really relaxing until I cut my finger, that was crap; it's also the second time I've cut myself with my new knives this year. I'm extremely clumsy.

James actually bought McDonald's & then he threw it out when it was evident I was slaving away and sacrificing fingers to make a great dinner.

Traditionally tagine's should actually be cooked in a tagine. But I don't own one of those so I used Jamie Oliver's Large Pot Roast Pan on the stove top. As I said I'm a big fan of substitution so use whatever you have that is similar.

So onto the recipe.

I made a lot of spice mix, it may look like too much when you are combining the spices but it works just fine.

Ingredients:

  • 1kg butterfly lamb leg - fat removed
  • About 3/4 cup water
  • 2 red onions cut into about 8 segments each
  • 3/4 cup pitted prunes
Spice Mix
  • 2 teaspoons hot paprika
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons minced ginger
  • 3 teaspoon hot chilli powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 3 teaspoons black pepper
  • 6 ground cardamom pods
  • 1/2 teaspoon allspice
  • 2 teaspoons celtic sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
Method:

  1. Combine all the spices into a mortar and pestle a grind them up (I had whole peppercorns and cumin seeds but use whatever is available) add the lemon juice and oil and stir around to make the spice paste
  2. In the pan that is heating (hope you pre read the recipe because you should heat it first!) add about a tablespoon of oil and then the onions, cook them until then soften a little and lose the raw onion burning eyes sensation, add about 1/4 cup water and then the spice paste, add the prunes
  3. Cook until fragrant (about 3-5 mins)
  4. Add the lamb now and another 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup water. I wasn't specific with the water measurements, basically you always want about at least 1/2 a cm of water on the bottom of the pan -this stop things burning and keeps the meat moist and the spices paste fluid-y
  5. Continue to cook the meat until you know it is cooked through and add water as you see fit. 
  6. The end results is a pretty thick sauce covering the meat and it is delicious. Like most food (but especially curries) I suggest storing it in a glass dish in the fridge as it will stain Tupperware. Also - remove the cardamom pods!
  7. Enjoy - let me know how you go!





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