Our lamb tagine with couscous was a big hit in July. The children wolfed it down, even our sometimes fussy eaters. We love finding meals that are healthy, that children love but that are interesting enough that they can be adult meals too....
Ingredients
500g lamb, diced in small cubes
2 tbsp plain flour
2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 large onion chopped
1 garlic clove
1.5 tsp mild curry paste
750ml chicken stock
1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
5 tbsp tomato puree
2 tbsp mango chutney
1 dessert apple, grated
150g dried apricots or dried figs, chopped
Couscous
Method
- Toss the lamb cubes in the flour seasoned with a little salt and pepper.
- Heat the oil in a medium flameproof casserole dish/tagine and brown the lamb all over (you may need to do this in two or three batches). Remove the lamb from the casserole and set aside.
- Add the onion to the pot and fry for 7–8 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and curry paste and cook for a further minute, then add any leftover flour and cook for 2 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the stock, a little at a time, to make a smooth sauce. Return the lamb to the casserole and stir in the tomatoes, tomato purée, mango chutney, and apple. Season to taste.
- Set the pot over a medium heat and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook very gently for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add the apricots or figs and continue to cook, uncovered, for a further 30–45 minutes until the lamb is tender.
This dish can be served with plain couscous but it's best with some chopped vegetables in the couscous to boost up their '5 a day'.
Enjoy!