My Go To Meals: Persian Lamb Couscous

Sorry that I have been MIA as of late. I have been so busy working on things with Lewie Prints. It’s been going well. We have lots of new prints. You should check it out. To keep up on everything follow our instagram and our Facebook page. I talk a bit about our day to day lives in London and being a working mom, or mum, with a toddler. Follow along to see our adventures.

Spring is in full swing and I couldn’t be happier. It has been so nice. Little G and I spend plenty of time out of doors soaking in the sun, when there is some, and exploring. The other day we went snail hunting after it rained. No, not for escargot, just for fun. A bonus to these outdoor adventures is that they usually leave G exhausted. He comes home and just wants a nap. Nap time is when I try to get my ‘to do’ list done, or some of it. 

One aspect of living in London that I love is the exposure to all the different cultures. That is clearly manifest in their food options. There is such a variety of food to experience here. It has translated into my cooking. I find myself branching out and trying new food cultures at home. 

A little while ago we tried Gousto, a home delivery service that delivers fresh, organic food in just the right measurements of recipes that you select. Then all you have to do is cook all the measuring and shopping is done for you. It was incredibly nice to try out, but on our budget right now, it doesn’t fit to do again. Maybe once we get an actual paycheque we can treat ourselves occasionally. This Persian Lamb dish was one of the items we tried. We liked it, but it was a little too meat heavy, and not enough veg for our taste. I’ve adapted it to fit our lifestyle a little more.

Little G loved this meal. He’s not a picky eater, so it’s not that much of a surprise. As I was trying to photograph it, he snuck up onto the chair and decided to help himself and kept saying “yummy yummy” as he did so. He’s about to take a bite in the picture below.

Ingredients

180 grams (about 1 1/4 cups) couscous

300 grams (about 1/2 pound) lamb mince (ground lamb)

about a handful or two of raisins

about a handful or two of shelled pistachios

2 tbsp baharat (middle eastern spice)

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 can or about a cup of cooked lentils

1/2 cup frozen peas

1 1/2 cups plain yogurt

a handful of fresh mint

1 chicken stock cube

Process:

Place the couscous and the raisins in a bowl. Bring 1 1/2 cups of water to a boil.  Once water is boiling, pour over the couscous and raisins and cover. Set aside.

If the pistachios aren’t already roasted, place a pan on medium heat, add the pistachios. Toast for about 2 minutes or until they darken slightly. Set aside.

Put pan back on medium high heat. Add the lamb mince to the pan and crumble in the stock cube. Cook until browned. Add the tomato paste, spices, lentils (with their liquid is home cooked or with 1/2 cup water is canned), and frozen peas.  Cook for 5 minutes or until cooked through. 

Meanwhile, chop the mint finely. Mix half of in with the yogurt.

Chop the pistachios and add to the couscous along with the other half of the mint.

Plate the couscous mixture, top with some of the the lamb, and garnish with the minted yogurt. Enjoy!