South Indian Lamb Couscous

Couscous is a wonderful staple and is popular in many cuisines of Africa and the Middle East - so with this I've got a bit of a fusion going on - by blending a classic Lamb Madras with fluffy couscous. A great alternative if you feel like a change from rice, it gives this dish a light and modern twist.

Serves: 4 people
Preparation time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 45 mins
Difficulty: Moderate

Spiciness

If you like this recipe try these

Lamb Madras

Goan Spiced Pork

This recipe features

Ingredients

For the Lamb:

2 - 3 tbsp Patak's Madras Paste
1 onion, finely chopped
450g lean diced lamb
200g canned tomatoes, drained
50ml water
handful of fresh coriander leaves, chopped

For the Couscous:

75g couscous
100ml boiling water
1 tbsp black mustard seeds
5 sprays of one cal oil
2 red peppers, deseeded and cut into chunks
6 baby courgettes, sliced in half lengthways
sea salt and black pepper

Methods

Dry fry the onion for three minutes in a large wok or non-stick frying pan, adding a splash of water to prevent the onion from burning. Stir in the Patak's Madras Paste and allow it to sizzle for one minute.
Stir in the lamb and toss well to coat. Add the tomatoes and water, stir and cover with a lid and simmer over a low heat for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the couscous in a bowl. Season and pour over 100ml boiling water. Stir once and cover with a clean tea towel. Leave to stand for 15 minutes and then fluff up with a fork.
Heat a non-stick pan or ridged griddle pan and spray with the oil. Add the peppers and courgettes and sear until they have browned. Add the mustard seeds and toss until they start to jump and pop. Fold into the couscous.
Drain off and reserve any excess sauce from the lamb. Fold the meat into the cousous mixture, add the coriander and serve the dish drizzled with the excess sauce.