"soupy" lamb with couscous and chickpeas

 

I love when I’m eating soupy wet stew with Moroccan flavours. Chilli is optional but is recommended for its sinus-cleansing properties. This can be made a little ‘dry’ to eat with a fork or ‘wet’ to eat with a spoon. Adjust the amount of stock you use.


INGREDIENTS

(Serves 4)

• 2 tsp coriander seeds

• 2 tsp cumin seeds

• extra virgin olive oil

• 500g lamb shoulder, small dice

• lake salt

• cracked black pepper

• 2 medium Spanish onions, thinly sliced

• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 1 fresh hot red chilli, finely chopped

• 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes

• 1 litre chicken stock

• 400g can chickpeas

• 1 tsp allspice

• 1/2 cup Italian chopped parsley

• 1/4 cup chopped mint

• 100g couscous

• lemon wedges (optional)


METHOD

Warm the coriander and cumin seeds in a big frypan for 1-2 minutes but don’t burn. Then crush the seeds to release the fragrance and set aside. In the same frypan, heat 100ml of olive oil and add the diced lamb when the oil’s sizzling. Stir well while adding a little salt and pepper. When lamb is well coloured, set it aside in a bowl, juices and all. In the same used frypan (don’t clean), add 50ml of oil and cook the onion on high heat until softened, lower heat and add garlic and chilli, cooking and stirring for 2-3 minutes, then add the coriander and cumin. Now add the tomatoes, stock and lamb, cooking at a good simmer until lamb is tender, about 1 hour or a bit more. Add the chickpeas and allspice and cook for a further 10 minutes. Now take off the heat and add parsley, mint and couscous, stirring well to mix through. At this stage, adjust the stock if you wish it to be more “soupy”. Season with salt and pepper to your liking and rest with lid on for 5 minutes. Serve hot in bowls. I served it with cheeks of lemon, barbecued in a frypan for 2 minutes, on the side, to be squeezed into the soup by your guests. Yummo!

 

© The West Australian