Minced Lamb With Coriander (Dhaniya Keema)

I love eating Indian food and we often get Indian takeaway when the cooking fairies are taking a break. Luckily for me, my husband also loves to cook Indian food. When he says that he's going to prepare a meal for the week, there's a big chance its going to come out of our well worn Indian cookbook! With splatters all over it, the pages almost open to this dish by themselves!

This recipe for minced lamb with coriander is one of our absolute favourites. It's quite easy to make and doesn't require too many different spices. Being a dry curry, it doesn't have a gravy, so we just serve it with papadums, roti or naan to scoop it up with. I like to have mine with a dollop of natural yoghurt or Dahi on top as well.

If you love the flavour of fresh coriander and have a lot to use up, then this recipe is for you. It's also great to make a day or two ahead for the flavours to infuse. Just make sure you only add the coriander when you are about to serve it, to keep that lovely fresh taste and beautiful green colour.

The recipe suggests 2 green chillies, but this time we used one red and one green to add a little bit more heat. If you prefer a more mild flavour, only use the green chilli which isn't quite so hot.

This is one meal I can never have too much of. I'd love to try an authentic version to see how it compares, but you rarely see this on the menu of your local Indian. Hint hint to any of my Indian friends :-)

I hope that you enjoy this as much as we do. It might become a regular in your household too!

Minced Lamb With Coriander

700g lamb mince

3 garlic cloves

2 bay leaves

1/3 cup oil

300g onion, finely diced

1 cinnamon stick

3 cloves

3 green cardamom

2cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped

2 green chillies, finely chopped

1/4 tsp ground turmeric 

3/4 tsp ground cumin 

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp garam masala

2 tomatoes, finely diced

Salt to taste

1 cup of coriander leaves, finely chopped

Boil the mince in 2 cups of water with 1 whole garlic clove and bay leaves for 10 minutes. Drain well and set aside.

Finely chop the remaining garlic.

Heat oil in a saucepan. Fry the onion over low heat for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Add the cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom, ginger, garlic and chilli. Cook for 2 minutes then add the mince and sauté for another 5 minutes. 

Add the turmeric, cumin and garam masala and cook for another 5 minutes. Stir every minute or so to stop the mixture sticking.

Add the tomatoes and salt to taste and cook for another few minutes.

Add 2 cups of water and cook, uncovered, until the liquid has almost evaporated.

Stir through the fresh coriander and remove from the heat.

Serve the mince in bowls with papadums, roti or naan and a dollop of natural yoghurt or Dahi, if you like.

Enjoy!

World Whisky Day - May 17

World Whisky Day was on Saturday and while I can't stand whisky, I thought I'd cook up a whisky themed dinner for my husband. I don't mind the general honey, smokey flavour of whisky, but I don't like that alcoholic burn you get when having it neat. In fact, I don't really like any spirits neat. Give me a good wine any day!

I wanted to create a meal that really complemented the flavours of the whisky. In the end I used two different sorts. The Talisker 47 degrees North from the Isle of Skye was more smokey and peaty and matched perfectly with the lamb marinade and the chocolate dessert. The Amrut Indian single malt whisky had more honey and molasses characters and went with the mushrooms. I was surprised by how well the flavours turned out.

The sweetness and honey characters really came through into the meat and the alcohol was burnt off in the cooking. Because of the sugar in the marinade, it caramelised nicely on the lamb and gave a beautiful charred flavour. Make sure your pan isn't too hot when you cook it or the marinade will burn before the lamb is cooked through.

Even though the chocolate creams weren't cooked, the dark chocolate was rich enough that it masked the alcoholic taste. You could always add the whisky to the boiling water to remove the alcohol, before you added it to the melted chocolate. This was a seriously rich dessert, so a small serve was more than enough. The roasted hazelnuts and sesame snaps gave a beautiful texture to it.

My husband gave this dinner a big thumbs up, so I suppose a World Whisky Day dinner is going to become an annual event in our house. Now to find the next alcoholic beverage theme day to have a go at!

Honey And Whisky Lamb With Braised Spinach, Buttery Whisky Mushrooms And Mash

400g lamb fillet, cut into two pieces

1Tbs whisky

1Tbs honey

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine whisky and honey in a dish. Season to taste.

Add lamb and allow to marinate for a couple of hours.

Heat a drizzle of oil in a frying pan over medium heat.

Remove lamb from the marinade and drain slightly. Fry for 3-4 minutes each side or until cooked to your liking. Rest for a couple of minutes.
Drain any meat juices from resting into the reserved marinade and bring to the boil. Simmer for a minute until thickened.

3 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped

2 Tbs butter

1/2 cup milk

Salt and pepper to taste

Place potatoes in a saucepan of cold water and bring to the boil. Cook until soft, then drain.
Return potatoes to the saucepan and mash with the butter. Add the milk and stir to combine. Season to taste.

1Tbs butter

2 cups mushrooms, sliced

1Tbs whisky

A handful each of parsley, oregano and thyme, finely chopped

Heat a frypan on medium heat and add butter until starting to foam.

Add the mushrooms and cook until softened and releasing their juices. Continue cooking until slightly browned. 

Season to taste, add whisky and allow the alcohol to cook off.

At the last minute, stir through the chopped herbs.


Half a bunch of fresh spinach, trimmed and chopped
A drizzle of olive oil

Heat a drizzle of oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
When hot, add the spinach and toss to coat in the oil and allow it to soften and wilt. Season to taste.


To serve, place spinach on the plate and top with a piece of lamb. Spoon over the remaining marinade sauce. Place a spoonful of mushrooms over the top of the lamb. Serve the mash to the side.

Enjoy!

Whisky And Chocolate Creams

100g dark chocolate, chopped

30ml boiling water

15ml whisky

1/2 tsp brown sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup milk

Sesame snaps and roasted hazelnuts, to serve

Melt chocolate in the microwave in 20 second bursts, stirring each time so that it doesn't burn.
When melted, slowly add the boiling water, stirring constantly to make a smooth mixture.
Add the whisky, sugar, vanilla and milk and stir gently to combine. It should be nice and smooth.
Spoon carefully into small glasses or pots and set in the fridge for 4 hours.

To serve, place the glasses on plates, put a handful of chopped roasted hazelnuts on top and a couple of sesame snaps on the side for dipping.

Enjoy this decadent dessert!

And To Drink....

Even though whisky was the theme of this dinner, there was no way I was going to be drinking whisky with it!

To go with the sweetness of the marinade on the lamb, I wanted a big red with lots of red and black fruit and complexity.  The 2007 ACJ from Pirramimma in McLaren Vale ticked all the boxes. Made with Shiraz, Petit Verdot and Cabernet there was plenty of ripe fruit, plum and cherry and a smooth richness, which was delicious. A bit of lingering spice and vanilla from the French oak made it a perfect match.

It complemented the sweet, charred lamb and the buttery mushrooms perfectly. The last few sips also went wonderfully with the rich chocolate dessert. Red wine and dark chocolate really are a match made in heaven!

Pirramimma was founded in 1892 and has been a family run winery since. Located in the beautiful McLaren Vale, just south of Adelaide in South Australia, it has a mediterranean climate. They produce some wonderful reds and whites, from quaffers to special drops. The ACJ, only made in exceptional years, was one of their special wines.

Lamb And Sangria

Finally the weather here in Melbourne has decided to warm up. Yay! But what to do with the half empty bottle of red wine that we opened last night when it was still cool? It's too hot to have red wine with the lamb dish I'd planned tonight. The answer is sangria!

We actually drink quite a lot of sangria, well my version of it at least, and it's a great way to make a refreshing drink out of a bottle of red wine. I have also made a couple of versions using white wine too. Rather than adding citrus and strawberries, peaches and apricots tend to work much better with the stone fruit flavours in a lot of white wines.

Tonights version is really just a combination of what's in the cupboard and fridge. You can almost add anything you like, as long as the flavours are complimentary. Mint work really well too, but I didn't have any in the garden. As well as strawberries, you could also use orange slices or pieces, cherries or grapes. I marinated my strawberries in some brandy for a bit of extra oomph, but if you want the sangria to be less alcoholic, then just leave it out.

Obviously, if you were making this recipe for a party, you'd probably need to double everything and use a whole bottle of vino. Add more or less fruit and soft drink depending on your tastes and how sweet you prefer your sangria. Instead of lemonade, you could use soda or even dry ginger.

Simple Sangria

1/2 a bottle of red wine, chilled

30ml brandy

6 strawberries sliced

100ml sparkling cranberry juice

1 1/2 cups lemonade

Ice 

Place the strawberries and brandy in a small bowl and allow to marinate for a few hours in the fridge.

When ready to serve, combine wine, soaked strawberries with the brandy, juice, lemonade and ice to taste.

Give a gentle mix and serve.

Lamb, Feta and Watermelon Salad

I love the combination of watermelon and feta as a summer salad, so why not make it into a meal by adding some lamb. Perfect on a hot summer's day when you want something light and easy to prepare. To add a bit of extra texture to this salad, I've also used some Israeli couscous. These little balls of goodness taste great and soak up the lemony dressing to become flavour bombs. Combined with the sweetness of the watermelon, the saltiness of the feta and the beautiful lamb, this dinner will become a regular on our table.

I coated my lamb in a Rich Glen Pistachio and wasabi pea dukkah that I received for Christmas. It has a little bit of heat from the wasabi peas, but wasn't overpowering. It was amazing! Next I want to just have it with oil and fresh bread for dipping.

Combined with a sweet, chilled sangria, could life get any better!!

1 or 2 pieces of lamb backstrap, depending on size and your hunger

A drizzle of olive oil

3/4 cup Isreali couscous

3 slices of watermelon, cut into small pieces

1/4 cup dukkah

Juice of 1 lemon

1 Tbs pomegranate molasses

100g marinated feta, oil reserved
2 spring onions, thinly sliced

1 cup rocket leaves

Bring a saucepan of water to the boil and add couscous. Stir gently, then boil until cooked. This will take about 10 minutes. You want the balls to be soft, but to still have a bit of bite.

Drain, rinse and cool.

Sprinkle dukkah on a plate and press the lamb into it so that it is covered on all sides. You may need a little more or a little less, depending on the size of your lamb.

Heat a drizzle of oil in a frypan and fry the lamb on both sides until cooked to your liking. It is best served when it's still a little pink on the inside. Don't have the heat too high or the dukkah will burn.

Leave the meat to rest while you prepare the salad.

In a small bowl, combine lemon juice, pomegranate molasses and about a tablespoon of the reserved feta oil. Whisk until combined and season to taste. Add more oil if you think it is needed.

Place couscous in a larger bowl and add the dressing. Stir to coat the balls well.

Gently stir through watermelon, feta and rocket.

Pile the salads on to plates and top with thickly sliced pieces of the lamb.

Christmas And Sparkling Shiraz

I love Christmas in Australia, when the weather is hot and all those beautiful cherries, mangoes and other summer fruits come into abundance. I love the fresh herbs and ruby red tomatoes growing in the garden. I love the tradition of still having roast turkey and ham on Christmas Day and of eating way too much. I love the very Australian drink of Sparkling Shiraz to have with my lunch on Christmas Day.

Sparkling Shiraz is as Australian as thongs and laminations, Vegemite and pavlova. It is a wonderful drink and the sweetness and bubbly berry-ness goes perfectly with so many foods. Turkey, ham and duck are great matches. If you've never tried it, make sure you track one down.

Tonight we are having a Grant Burge Sparkling Shiraz Cabernet as the December wine from The Fabulous Ladies' Wine Society Wine Club.  I have had plenty of Grant Burge wines in the past, but never the Sparkling Shiraz, so I was really looking forward to this one.

Grant Burge is a winery from the Barossa Valley in South Australia, which has been producing table and sparkling wines since 1855. Located 80km north of Adelaide, the Barossa is a beautiful area of rolling hills, vineyards, fine food and wine. The winery produces a number of different levels of wine, with Barossa reds being a favourite. White wines also feature highly, particularly those with fruit from the neighbouring Eden Valley.

Given that we'll be having plenty of turkey next week, tonight I thought I'd match the sparkling Shiraz with some great Australian lamb.  Red wine and red meat always go well together, so why not add a bit of sweetness and a few bubbles!

I was given a bunch of some beautiful fresh mint from a friend's garden the other day and decided that mint, lamb and sparkling shiraz would be the perfect combination.

With amazing fresh herbs, truss Roma tomatoes and asparagus, I have put together a simple but amazing salad to showcase all of those beautiful flavours. Part Greek, part Middle Eastern, part Australian, it is a wonderful blend of amazing food and cultures.

The Grant Burge Sparkling Shiraz was inky black in colour with plenty of spice and blackberry flavours. There was also some plum and cherry notes too. The sweetness and berry-ness matched perfectly with the lamb, complementing the crisp nutty coating. Nuts and berries go well together, don't they?  I was worried that the salty feta and olives would be a bit overpowering, but because the feta was nice and creamy, it all balanced out. Sweet tomato, fresh mint and peppery rocket were the perfect combination of flavours.

I'd definitely recommend this wine, especially on Christmas Day. Even on Christmas Eve, New Years Eve or any time you want something a little bit different and a little bit fancy. To be drunk with a full meal, some prosciutto and fresh bread, strong cheeses or just on its own. Perfect.

Nut And Seed Crusted Lamb

1 lamb backstrap, cleaned of fat and sinews
1 Tbs sesame seeds
1/4 cup flaked almonds, toasted
1 tsp lemon myrtle flakes
A good grinding of salt and pepper

Combine sesame seeds, almonds, lemon myrtle, salt and pepper in a mortar and pestle.
Gently crush the almonds and combine all the flavours.
Generously sprinkle the lamb all over with the seed and nut mixture.

Heat a fry pan on medium high heat with a good drizzle of olive oil.
Depending on the size of your lamb and your frypan, you may need to cut the fillet in half.
Cook on one side until the coating is golden and the lamb sealed. Turn over and cook the other side.
You still want the lamb to be a little pink in the middle.
Set aside to rest in a warm place, covered with foil.

Tomato and Asparagus Salad

3 truss Roma tomatoes, quartered
Half a bunch of asparagus, woody ends snapped off
A handful of rocket leaves
50g feta, cut into cubes
A handful of black olives
A handful of fresh mint leaves, torn
Extra virgin olive oil
Verjuice

Pour boiling water over the asparagus in a heatproof bowl and leave for 1 minute. Drain and refresh under cold water.
Place asparagus, tomato, rocket, feta, olives and mint in a salad bowl or on a platter.
Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and and a dash of verjuice to taste and gently combine.