Dukkah
Dukkah – Learn to make the perfect Egyptian Nut and Spice Blend that’s a truly moreish snack with flat bread and a little olive oil.
Tag: spices
Lamb Fettah
Lamb Fettah Lamb Fettah : Beautifully tender, succulent chunks of meat are laid over Egyptian rice which has been cooked in tasty stock. At its base are pieces of crispy bread. These have been soaked in a wonderfully rich gravy which the bread sucks up …
Spiced Slow-Cooked Lamb
Spiced Slow-Cooked Lamb
This Spiced Slow-Cooked Lamb is cooked over a low heat for about 3 hours resulting in ultimate tenderisation and flavour.
The spices used to season this glorious dish provide a heady aroma and the most wonderful flavours.
Try this recipe, your taste buds will love you for it!
Perfectly tender Spiced Slow-Cooked Lamb
At the end of its cooking time your lamb is so perfectly tender and the flavours are just out of this world.
In Egypt meat is cut into large chunks 2” x 2” x 1”. And each person is just given 2 or 3 pieces of meat. If you prefer your meat cut smaller, as is the norm for English food, that’s fine, the meat will still cook much the same. If you prefer you could alternatively use lamb shanks for this recipe.
If you are the owner of a Slow Cooker this would be a great opportunity to make use of it.
Serves 4
Ingredients
½ a leg of lamb (the thicker end) – ask your butcher to de-bone the meat and cut it for you.
Retain the bone for cooking – it provides a wonderful gravy.
Spice mix
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- seeds from 3 cardamom pods freshly ground
- 2 tsp ground allspice
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Additional ingredients
- vegetable oil for frying
- 2 onions finely sliced
- 3 tsp garlic puree
- 6 fresh tomatoes – chopped or 2 tins chopped tomatoes
- juice and zest of 3 fresh lemons
- 3 lamb stock cubes
- 2 large carrots – grated
- 2 red chillies de-seeded and cut into rings.
- 500ml water
- Small bunch of fresh coriander – leaves and stalks separated and chopped
Method
Blend all the spices from the spice mix together in a small bowl.
Coat the meat in that wonderful spice blend
Rub half of the spice mix on to the lamb.
Put a large pan over a high flame to heat up.
Add 2 tbsp oil and when that heats up.
Sear the Meat
Work in batches and place about 6 pieces of the lamb into the hot oil at a time.
The lamb needs to be seared (browned and sealed) all over. So, leave the lamb in one place in the pan (without stirring it) for a couple of minutes and then turn it.
*Tip if it is seared it will turn easily, if it’s not quite ready it will appear to be stuck to the bottom of the pan, in which case leave it for a minute or so and then try turning it again.
When the lamb is browned put those pieces to one side and repeat the process until all the meat is browned. Add a little more oil if necessary.
When all the lamb is browned put them to one side.
Now for the additional ingredients
Reduce the heat under the pan then add the onions and gently fry them until they become soft and golden.
Add the rest of the spice mix and the garlic and continue cooking for another minute until the oils in the spices are released and the garlic becomes fragrant.
Now add the chopped tomatoes, juice and zest of the lemons, the stock cubes, grated carrot, chilli and the chopped coriander stalks.
Return the lamb to the pan along with the bone and add enough hot water to cover the meat.
Increase the heat for the pan and bring it to the boil.
Simmer on as low a heat as possible
Then reduce the heat to as low as it will go and allow the lamb to simmer for about 2 – 3 hours, checking occasionally that there is enough liquid in the pan and stir the meat about every hour.
Your stewed lamb will be ready when the meat is tender and can be cut easily with a spoon.
Time to check your seasoning
Add the chopped coriander leaves just a few minutes before serving.
Additional Recipes that use Spiced Slow-Cooked Lamb
This recipe is perfect to use for Lamb Fettah, a favourite in Egypt for Eid.
It’s also great to have over Potato Layer Bake or with Egyptian Rice with Shariya. In fact there are so many possibilities. Which ever way you choose to have delicious Spiced Slow-Cooked Lamb, I’m sure you’ll love it.
To get some of the recipes I’ve mentioned click the links below.
Batch Cooking tip for Spiced Slow-Cooked Lamb
As Spiced Slow-Cooked Lamb has such a long cooking time, I frequently cook three or even four times the quantities (in a very large pot) and divide it up and freeze the portions.
When you’re busy it’s excellent to have as back up. Just take it out of the freezer in the morning and it’s ready to heat up in the evening. Cook up a pot of rice and you’re ready to go.
So many times I’ve been grateful for this time saver.
You’ll also save on fuel bills!
I do hope you give this recipe a go I’m sure you’ll love it.
Let me know how you get on with the recipe, I love hearing from you. And keep those photos coming in – they’re great.
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Harissa Chicken
Harissa Chicken; possibly the tastiest chicken ever!
I remember the first time my daughter-in-law made Harissa Chicken for us – I was just blown away. It was absolutely delicious; the chicken is so flavoursome having been marinated in a rich, spicy, red pepper and tomato paste and it tastes like it’s straight out of the smoker.
Harissa is possibly the best loved condiment of the Middle East. It’s well-known for its spicy credentials, but it should be known for so much more than this.
A pizazz of heat comes from the spicy chilli, sweetness from the wonderful roasted red peppers, seductive smokiness thanks to the smoked paprika and the zing of a citrus blast is added to the mix, by the fresh lemon juice. Cumin brings in a slightly sweet, warming slightly nutty flavour. Whilst aniseed has a liquorice flavour that is sweet, mildly spicy, and very aromatic. Some recipes include caraway instead of aniseed, but my personal choice is aniseed.
Harissa is an Amazing Spice Blend
Harissa is a fantastic spice mix to use especially when you’re entertaining. Everyone will want to know what you’ve added to the chicken to create such amazing flavours. A real conversation if ever there was one!
You can buy ready-made Harissa Paste from shops and supermarkets but I prefer to make my own. I make it with a little less chilli than shop-bought varieties, but it still has all the other spice elements to work their magic. If you choose to use shop-bought harissa I would suggest you consider using a little less.
You will only need to use 4 tablespoons of the harissa paste. The rest can be stored in the fridge for about two weeks and used as a condiment . Alternatively it’s wonderful used in dishes such as Shakshuka and Lentil Soup. It can also be added to rice or any stews you make, and every time it’s a winner.
Ingredients
- 8 chicken portions
- 4 tbsp harissa paste
- 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1 thumb-size piece of fresh ginger – peeled and grated
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 large onions – finely chopped
- 1 red pepper – deseeded and sliced into 1 cm strips
- 1 green pepper – deseeded and sliced into 1 cm strips
- 6 large ripe tomatoes – chopped or 400g can of chopped tomatoes
- 300ml hot chicken stock
- a large handful of fresh coriander leaves – chopped
- salt and pepper to season
Ingredients for the harissa paste
- 1 jar of chargrilled red peppers
- 2 tsp dried chilli flakes
- 2 tbsp tomato puree
- 8 garlic cloves
- 2 tsp aniseed seeds
- 2 tsp cumin
- 4 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- juice of 2 large lemons
- 4 tbsp olive oil + a little more to pour over the sauce later
To add the magic to your Harissa Chicken (optional extra)
This is used if you want to add a sensational smoky flavour
- 3 pieces of charcoal the size of your thumb nail (barbeque wood chips could alternatively be used here)
- a little aluminium foil doubled over and shaped into a shallow bowl about 8cm across
How to prepare your Harissa Chicken
To make the Harissa Paste
Put all the ingredients for the harissa paste into a food processor or blender and blitz them until they form a paste.
Remember you only need 4 tablespoons of this glorious marinade for this recipe. The rest can be stored in a covered jam jar, in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. It can be used as a condiment to perk up your meals or as a marinade for other dishes.
Now to prepare your Harissa Chicken
Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of salt over the chicken portions and massage it into the meat.
Put the chicken into a large bowl and smother them in the harissa paste. Add the extra chopped garlic and grated ginger and massage them once more. Allow the chicken to marinate in the rich marinade for a couple of hours or over-night if you can, to allow the flavours to be absorbed.
Marinate for at least a couple of hours or over-night if you can
Pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees
Lay the chopped onions and sliced peppers in a roasted tray along with the tomatoes.
Drizzle oil over the top of them and then turn them over, so that all the vegetables have a light coating of oil.
Pour the chicken stock over the vegetables.
Lay the chicken on top of the vegetables
Lay the marinated chicken on top of the vegetables.
Use cooking foil to cover the roasting tray and seal it, to stop it from drying out during the cooking process..
Cook your Harissa Chicken for about 40 minutes
Put the roasting tray into the oven and let your chicken cook for 40 minutes.
To check that your chicken is cooked thoroughly, insert a knife into the meat – there should be no sign of redness or blood and all the juices should run clear. If this is not the case then return the chicken to the oven for a little longer.
Once the chicken has finished cooking, remove the foil but put it to one side to be used again later.
Five minutes under the grill to turn it a beautiful golden brown
Your chicken now needs its skin to be browned and crisped up, to match its appearance with its amazing flavours.
Drizzle a very light coating of oil onto the chicken, this will assist in the browning process.
Turn your grill on to high and let it warm up for a few minutes before putting your chicken under for about 5 minutes. This should be enough time to allow it to brown slightly, and become a wonderful glowing version of its former self.
Now for the magic
Lay the aluminium foil bowl, that you made, in the roasting tray with the chicken. Pour a few drops of oil into the foil bowl.
Next, hold the charcoal with tongs above a flame and set it alight, when it starts to glow red, blow out the flame and let it smoke. Put the charcoal into the foil bowl with the oil. Quickly cover and seal the roasting tray with foil or a tight fitting lid and let your chicken bask in the smoky aromas for around 10 minutes.
How to serve your glorious Harissa Chicken
Before serving add the fresh coriander to the onions and peppers and gently mix them through.
Harissa chicken is delicious served over a bed of Egyptian Rice with Shareya. To present it, lay the vegetables with the coriander over the rice. Then, top with the glorious chicken, which will be its crowning glory.
Alternatively it’s very popular when included as part of a mezze.
This is definitely one of those meals that will make the taste buds sing for joy!
Let me know how you enjoyed it. And don’t forget to send in your photos – I love seeing them.
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