A little goes a long way with this one! With a bit of lamb, a can of lentils and a few readily available aromatics, we get a pot of flavourful and nourishing lamb and lentil stew in about 40 minutes. Best served over rice or couscous, with flat-breads and fresh salads, this surprisingly light and zingy lamb and lentil stew is perfect for when you want something special but don’t have a lot of time to spare.

Ingredients (serves 4-6)

• 200 grams of minced lamb
• 1/4 tsp of salt
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 stick of cinnamon
• 2-3 bay leaves
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, coarsely ground
• 2 medium sized onions , finely chopped
• 4-6 garlic cloves, fined minced
• 1 ripe tomato, finely minced
• 1 tbsp of tomato paste
• 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder
• 1 400 gram can of puy lentil, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 tsp of paprika powder
• 1/2 tsp of fresh thyme
• Zest from a lime
• 300 ml warm chicken or vegetable stock; I use warm water with a stock cube
• Half a cup of frozen peas
• Honey; start with about 1 tsp and add a drizzle more if needed
• Lime juice; start with less than quarter of a lime and add a little more if needed
• Lots of finely minced parsley or coriander

Method

• Place a pan on high heat and pour a little oil.
• Once the oil is hot, add the lamb mince and break it apart with a wooden spoon almost immediately.
• Sprinkle ,some of the salt and fry stirring occasionally to until the lamb is golden brown; don’t stir too often because you want to meat to brown and flavours to develop.
• While the meat is browning, lightly crush the cumin seeds.
• Once browned, remove the meat with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Reducing the heat to medium, add in the stick of cinnamon, bay leaves and crushed cumin seeds and sauté for half a minute until fragrant and golden.
• Add in the onions and sauté until softened and slightly caramelised.
• Add in the garlic and sauté for a minute until the flavours release and then, add in the minced tomatoes.
• When the tomatoes disintegrate and the moisture evaporates, add in the tomato paste, paprika powder and the turmeric powder and sauté for a couple of minutes to mix all of the ingredients well and for the spices to cook through.
• Add in the lamb and drained puy lentils and sauté for minute until the lamb and the lentils are coated in the spices.
• Add in the warm stock, fresh thyme and lime zest and bring it to a boil.
• Reduce the heat to gentle simmer and placing the lid on, simmer away for about 20-30 minutes stirring occasionally.
• When the stew has almost thickened to the desired consistency, stir in the honey, lime juice, peas and a generous sprinkle of parsley and simmer for a couple of minutes or just until the peas are thawed and cooked through.
• Take off the heat and place the lid back on until ready to serve.
• Serve with bread, rice or salad and enjoy!