As the Winter  chill starts to set in, the craving for deliciously spicy stews, casseroles and curries sets in.  I love comfort food and this is one of my favourites.  It is easy to make and does not require a list of exotic spices.  The Curry Me Home Magic Masala is a must must for this recipe!  During the filming of Sugar ‘ n Spice, I prepared this dish with lamb shanks – for me, sometimes I prefer shanks and sometimes knuckles…it just depends on who is coming to dinner!

I use the Spar tinned lentils and chickpeas – they are my standard store cupboard favourites.  All I can say is that all tinned products are not created equal!

Moroccan Lamb

1kg lamb knuckles

50ml sunflower oil

1 bay leaf

1 cinnamon stick

5ml cumin seeds

1 large onion, finely chopped

7,5ml coarse salt

15ml ginger, crushed

15ml garlic, crushed

30ml red chilli powder or paprika

1 x 400g tins Spar whole peeled tomatoes, chopped

1 x 400g tin Spar lentils, drained

1 x 400g tin Spar chickpeas, drained

30ml Curry Me Home Magic Masala

Thinly sliced lemon, to garnish

Fresh coriander, to garnish

Here’s how:

Heat the sunflower oil in a 30cm AMC pot.

Add the cinnamon stick, bay leaf and sauté until fragrant.

Add the cumin seeds.

Stir in the chopped onion and salt when the seeds begin to pop.

Add the crushed ginger and garlic.

Saute until the moisture evaporates and garlic is fragrant.

Add the red chilli powder and stir for a few seconds.

Add the lamb knuckles and then cover with boiling water.

Simmer until the knuckles are tender.

Add the chopped tomatoes.

Once the tomatoes have softened, add the lentils and chickpeas.

Add more water to thin out the sauce if necessary.

Sprinkle the magic masala over and simmer for a minute.

Garnish with fresh coriander and lemon slices.

Yudhika’s Tips

Curry Me Home spices are stocked in select Superspars around Gauteng.

We also offer a mail order service – email me at hetals@iafrica.com for more details.