Middle Eastern lamb bake will bowl you over

Mellow mix of spices and yoghurt makes this the perfect winter warmer.

Versatile dish: Middle eastern lamb bake suits casual dining or as the centrepiece for a gathering. Picture: Dannika Bonser

COOLER days make it the perfect time for comfort food, and during the current COVID-19 isolation period many have found cooking a comforting way to pass the time.

And with time on your hands there’s no excuse to not think ahead and to prepare a tasty meal, even to have it all ready to be simply reheated and eaten if your days suddenly become more active.

Most Asian-influenced one-dish meals improve with flavour after a couple of days refrigeration, or they can be eaten straight away if your hunger pangs are really strong. Certainly, as this one-pot lamb dish cooks there’s an irresistible fragrance coming from the kitchen.

This dish isn’t your traditional curry, so it won’t scare off those frightened of burning from over-chillied flavouring. Instead, its yoghurt marinade gives the dish a quite refreshing taste.

Serve some wilted spinach on the side if you wish.

Serves 6

MIDDLE EASTERN

LAMB BAKE

900g lamb fillet, cut into 3cm cubes

4 tbsp butter

2 onions, sliced

450g potatoes, cut into large chunks

Chicken stock, or water (see recipe for quantity)

450g basmati rice, soaked

Generous pinch of saffron strands, dissolved in 2 tbsps warm milk

Fresh coriander sprigs, to garnish

The Marinade:

2 cups natural yoghurt

3-4 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tsps cayenne pepper

4 tsps garam masala

2 tsps ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

Make the marinade by mixing all the ingredients in a large bowl. Add the meat, stir to coat, then cover and leave to marinate for 3-4 hours in a cool place or overnight in the fridge.

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large saucepan and fry the onions for 6-8 minutes until lightly golden. Transfer to a plate.

Melt a further 1½ tablespoons of the butter in the pan. Fry the marinated lamb in batches until evenly brown, transferring each batch in turn to a plate. When all the lamb has been browned, return it to the pan and scrape in the remaining marinade.

Stir in the potatoes and add about three-quarters of the fried onions. Pour in just enough chicken stock or water to cover the mixture. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer over a very low heat for 40-50 minutes until the lamb is tender and the potatoes are cooked. Pre-heat the oven to 160C (140C fan).

Drain the rice. Cook it in a pan of boiling stock or water for 5 minutes. Take care not to overcook the rice. The grains should still be quite hard, but should have a slightly powdery consistency.

Meanwhile, spoon the lamb mixture into a casserole. Drain the rice and mound it on top of the lamb, then, using the handle of a wooden spoon, make a hole down the centre. Top with the remaining fried onions, pour the saffron milk over the top and dot with the remaining butter.

Cover the pan with a double layer of foil and a lid. Cook in the oven for 30-35 minutes or until the rice is tender. Garnish with fresh coriander sprigs and serve.

VARIATIONS

CHICKEN combines well with rice in a similar dish. Try substituting coconut milk for the yoghurt for another variation on the Asian theme.

ADD some raisins or sultanas to the rice mixture before spooning it on to the meat base.

SCATTER with chopped cashews.

TIPS

HAVE all your ingredients ready before you start to cook. It saves time in the long run.

IF reheating a dish, either from the fridge or the freezer, let it come to room temperature before you put it in the oven to heat through.

A microwave is especially handy for reheating.

TO SERVE ON THE SIDE

A simple one-dish meal can satisfy the family for a casual get-together but can also become the centrepiece for a communal gathering for visitors.

For such special occasions, keep the central dish and augment it with a selection of accompaniments, such as stir-fried vegetables, crisp-fried onions (great for scattering on top), or even some store-bought flatbread to enable diners to make their own pocket snacks.

Extra yoghurt and homemade relish never goes astray, either.

MORE

SOUP THAT’S PERFECT FOR WINTER

HEARTY SOUP WARMS THE SOUL

RICE IS A STAPLE AND ALWAYS A WINNER