Sweet juicy apricots and tender butternut squash are a winner with kids and make for a delicious Middle Eastern family meal for toddlers through to teens and beyond
Nutrition and extra info
- Freezable
Nutrition: per serving (4)
- kcal413
- fat21.7g
- saturates7.5g
- carbs27.3g
- sugars22.4g
- fibre6.4g
- protein27.2g
- salt1g
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Olive oil
ol-iv oylProbably the most widely-used oil in cooking, olive oil is pressed from fresh olives. It's…
- 1 onion, finely diced
Onion
un-yunOnions are endlessly versatile and an essential ingredient in countless recipes. Native to Asia…
- 2 carrots, finely diced (about 150g)
Carrot
ka-rotThe carrot, with its distinctive bright orange colour, is one of the most versatile root…
- 500g diced leg of lamb
- 2 fat cloves garlic, crushed
Garlic
gar-likPart of the lily, or alium, family, of which onions are also a member, garlic is one of the most…
- ½ tsp cumin
Cumin
q-minAn aromatic spice native to eastern Mediteranean countries and Upper Egypt. This warm,…
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp saffron strands
Saffron
sah-fronThe stigma of a type of crocus, saffron threads have a pungent and distinctive aroma and flavour…
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp clear honey
- 100g soft dried apricot, quartered
- 1 low-salt vegetable stock cube
- 1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed and cut into 1cm dice
- steamed couscous or rice, to serve
Couscous
koos-koosConsisting of many tiny granules made from steamed and dried durum wheat, couscous has become a…
- chopped parsley and toasted pine nuts, to serve (optional)
Parsley
par-sleeOne of the most ubiquitous herbs in British cookery, parsley is also popular in European and…
Method
Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based pan and add the onion and carrot. Cook for 3- 4 mins until softened.
Add the diced lamb and brown all over. Stir in the garlic and all the spices and cook for a few mins more or until the aromas are released.
Add the honey and apricots, crumble in the stock cube and pour over roughly 500ml boiling water or enough to cover the meat. Give it a good stir and bring to the boil. Turn down to a simmer, put the lid on and cook for 1 hour.
Remove the lid and cook for a further 30 mins, then stir in the squash. Cook for 20 – 30 mins more until the squash is soft and the lamb is tender. Serve alongside rice or couscous and sprinkle with parsley and pine nuts, if using.
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