Lamb, Squash & Spinach Curry Recipe

Ingredients

400g lamb mince
2 onions
2 garlic cloves
A thumb of ginger
1 chilli
1 butternut squash
½-2 tbsp tikka massala spices
1 tsp turmeric
400g chopped tomatoes
300g white basmati rice
100g baby leaf spinach
A handful of coriander, leaves only
½ tbsp olive oil
Sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
200ml cold water
600ml boiling water

Prep: 20 mins | Cook: 6 hrs 10 mins

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Method

1. Warm a deep frying pan or wok for 2 mins then add ½ tbsp oil and the lamb mince. Fry for 10 mins, stirring now and then with a wooden spoon to break up lumps, till the lamb is browned all over.

2. While the lamb fries, peel and finely chop the onions. Peel and grate or crush the garlic. Peel and grate the ginger. Halve the chilli, scoop out the seeds and white pith, and finely chop the chilli (for a milder curry, use half the chilli or leave it out entirely). From this point, either follow the method for the slow cooker or the hob.

3. In the slow cooker... When the lamb mince has browned, drain off any excess liquid, then tip the mince into a 3½ ltr slow cooker. Stir in the onion, garlic, ginger and chilli (if you’re using it).

4. Trim the squash, halve and peel it. Scoop out the seeds and roughly chop the squash into chunks around 2cm thick. Stir them into the mince.

5. Add ½ -2 tbsp tikka masala spices, depending on how strong you want the flavour to be, to the slow cooker . Add 1 tsp turmeric with a good pinch of saly and pepper. Tip in the chopped tomatoes. Add 200ml cold water. Give it all a gentle stir, then cover and set the slow cooker for medium. Cook for 6 hrs (for a faster cook, set it to high and cook for 4 hrs, or go low and slow for 8 hrs with the cooker set to low).

6. When the curry has 30 mins left to cook, tip the rice into a sieve and give it a good rinse under cold water. Tip into a pan and pour in 600ml boiling water. Cover, bring to the boil and then turn the heat right down and gently simmer for 8-10 mins till all the water has been absorbed. Take off the heat and let the rice steam in the pan, lid on, for 5-10 mins to finish cooking it.

7. When the curry is ready, taste and add a pinch more salt or pepper if you think it needs it. Fork the spinach into the curry to just wilt it. Fluff the rice with a fork and spoon into 4 warm bowls. Top with the curry and the coriander leaves and serve.

8. In the Oven.. Drain any excess liquid off the lamb and spoon the mince onto a plate. Put the pan back on the hob on a medium-low heat and add the onion with 2 tbsp water. Fry for 8 mins, stirring every so often, till the onion has started to soften and brown.

9. While the onion fries, trim the squash, halve and peel it. Scoop out the seeds and roughly chop the squash into chunks around 2cm thick.

10. Stir the garlic, ginger and chilli (if you’re using it) into the onion with the tikka masala spices (use ½ tbsp for a milder flavour, or up to 2 tbsp for a flavour kick), 1 tsp turmeric and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Cook and stir for 1 min, then stir the lamb mince back into the pan.

11. Add the squash to the lamb. Tip in the chopped tomatoes. Half-fill the tin with water (around 200ml) and pour that into the pan. Pop on a lid and gently simmer for 45 mins, stirring every now and then, till the curry has thickened and the squash is tender.

12. When the curry has 30 mins left to cook, tip the rice into a sieve and give it a good rinse under cold water. Tip into a pan and pour in 600ml boiling water. Cover, bring to the boil and then turn the heat right down and gently simmer for 8-10 mins till all the water has been absorbed. Take off the heat and let the rice steam in the pan, lid on, for 5-10 mins to finish cooking it.

13. When the curry is ready, taste and add a pinch more salt or pepper if you think it needs it. Fork the spinach into the curry to just wilt it. Fluff the rice with a fork and spoon into 4 warm bowls. Top with the curry and scatter over the coriander leaves to serve.