I adore this dish.  It’s something I’ve been making regularly for a few years now and has been tweaked and tweaked from so much from its original Delicious recipe there is little resemblance anymore.  

Though the picture above isn’t great, I think it displays the appeal of this dish rather well.  The nuts, the berries, the meat, the aubergine… I just love how every mouthful tastes just a little bit different.  And it makes your kitchen smell incredible too. 

Lamb Pilaf

(serves 4)

Olive oil

300g  neck of  lamb, diced

2 onions, sliced

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 red chili, chopped

400g tin of tomatoes

1 large aubergine, cut into 1cm cubes (I like to salt these for 30 mins and squeeze dry in a tea-towel)

1 tblspn cumin

1 tspn paprika

1/4 tspn saffron (soaked in a little warm water)

225g basmati rice

350ml stock (chicken or lamb)

Handful of walnuts, chopped

Handful of dried cranberries

Fresh coriander

Yogurt & rocket to serve (optional)

• Brown the meat in a little olive oil in a large cast iron pot.  Remove from the pot and set aside.
• In the same pot fry the onions until soft and golden.  Add the chili and garlic and stir well.  Add the tomatoes and lamb.  Simmer gently for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, fry the aubergine in a little olive oil in a non-stick frying pan until starting to colour.  Add the cumin and paprika and cook for another minute.
• Add the spiced aubergine, rice and saffron to the lamb mixture and stir well.  Add the stock and taste for seasoning.  Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer very gently with a lid on for 15 minutes or until all of the liquid is absorbed.  Remove from the heat but keep the lid on for another five minutes.
• Remove the lid and add the cranberries, walnuts and coriander.  Stir through with a fork, fluffing up the rice as you go. 
• I like to eat this topped with a dollop of yogurt and a mass of rocket.