This is a great mid week meal, I often make this a day ahead , then re-heat for dinner the following night. It’s great for those busy days when you get home close to dinner time ! It needs 5 hours to cook. The eggplant and dates break down completely – so it’s unrecognisable to little ones !
1 kg diced lamb (I use leg, you can get the butcher to dice it for you)
3-4 Tbs Olive Oil or Ghee
Ground spices – cumin, coriander, garam marsala – about 2-3 tsp of each.
Ground cardamon – 1-2 tsp.
1 onion – diced
2 gloves fresh garlic – finely chopped or grated
1 large eggplant cut into 2 cm pieces
2 leeks -the white part , sliced
Silver beet stalks – sliced
3 cups homemade chicken bone broth – or you can use stock
2 cups cooked chickpeas (home cooked or tinned)
6-7 fresh majool dates – cut in half
1 bunch of silver beet/chard – blanched and chopped
Season with salt and pepper – depending on the stock you use.
In a large heavy based cooking pot heat 3-4 Tbs of Olive Oil or Ghee on medium heat then fry off the onion for 3-5 mins until it starts to turn translucent. Add in the ground spices and fry for a couple of minutes. Then add leeks and garlic and cook for 1 more minute (be careful not to burn the garlic). Then add the diced lamb and stir until browned a little all over – this will take about 4-5 mins. Then add silver beet stalks, and eggplant, and the chicken broth ( or stock). Cook on medium for 20 mins, until the eggplant softens, then you might need to add more water if need so that lamb is covered. Cook on low simmer for 4-5 hours. Stirring occasionally so it doesn’t stick. After 3 hours add in chickpeas and dates. After 5 hours or so – the meat will have broken down a little, and it should be quite thick (from the eggplant) – if not turn up the heat and reduce. Just before serving stir through cooked silver beet leaves.
Serve with rice if more carbs are need.
