Category Archives: Lamb

Food on Sticks

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One of the best things about summer, I think, is Food on Sticks. We’ve been barbecuing whenever possible, which has been most days in fact, and I’ve been making loads of skewered dishes. Prawn skewers (with chorizo tucked into the curl of the prawn – wow), citrus fish kebabs, thai chicken kebabs, and most recently, these lamb kofta.

I really, really love lamb. I try and fit in one lamb dish every week, although it can be tremendously expensive. Good lamb mince is one of the cheaper ways to do it, and I try and stock up on leg steaks when they’re on special. Hoping to tackle a good lamb roast sometime soon, too, although I can’t see us ever eating it every Sunday!

Lamb kofta come in many forms (although none are particularly attractive in photographs, I think). The basic anglicised recipe I use is half an onion, a clove of garlic, 500g mince, and a few teaspooons of whatever spices take your fancy. You could also add fresh ginger and herbs, or I also have a recipe that includes a can of chickpeas, which bulks the quantity out. I think lamb is the best meat to use, but beef is also fine (if rather unconventional).

Lamb Kofta
Adapted from several recipes, mostly by Alison Holst
Serves 4

½ an onion
1 large clove garlic, peeled
2cm piece fresh ginger (optional)
500g lean lamb mince
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp chilli powder (or less, to taste)
½ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp chopped fresh mint – or other fresh herbs

Firstly, if you’re using bamboo skewers, soak them in cold water for at least half an hour so’s they don’t burn when you cook them :)

Whiz the onion, garlic and ginger (if using) in a food processor until they’re very finely chopped. Add the mince, spices and herbs, and whiz until the mixture just starts clumping together.

Using wet hands, shape the mixture into twelve sausage shapes (I divide in half, then half again, etc, to get even portions). Push a skewer through the kofta lengthways.

Get your barbecue or grill heating, and once hot, grill the kofta for about 5 minutes each side (or you could bake them in the oven at 200º, for 6 minutes a side), until cooked through and golden brown.

I served the kofta with a little tomato and cucumber salad, a loaf of ciabatta, and a sauce made by mixing together: 1 cup low fat yoghurt, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, 1 Tbsp tahini paste, and about 3 Tbsp each fresh chopped mint and coriander, plus salt to taste.

Enjoy this Food on Sticks meal, and here’s to many more this summer!

Spicy Lamb Burgers with Raita

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Lamb Good. Burgers Good. That’s all I really need to say.

I think this recipe came from an issue of Taste magazine last year.

Spicy Lamb Burgers with Banana Raita
Serves 6

Raita:
2 bananas
1½ Tbsp lime juice
1 hot green chilli, chopped
2 Tbsp chopped fresh mint
1 cup unsweetened yoghurt
½ tsp cumin
¼ tsp salt

Burgers:
½ cup chopped shallots
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1½ Tbsp butter
¼ tsp chilli powder
1 tsp coriander seeds, crushed
1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
¾ tsp salt
500g lamb mince
1 Tbsp lime juice
2 Tbsp unsweetened yoghurt
6 burger buns, or ciabatta rolls etc
mango chutney

Firstly, make the delicious raita. Peel the bananas and slice them thinly. Gently toss them with the lime juice, then add the other raita ingredients and mix gently. Set this aside in the fridge.

For the burger patties, cook the shallot and garlic gently (I used a spray of canola oil and a Tbsp water, you could cook them in butter if you must). Add the chilli, coriander seeds, ginger and salt. Set this mixture aside to cool a little. Then add the lamb mince, lime juice and yoghurt, and form the mixture into patties. Cook the patties quickly either on the bbq, or in a hot frypan, turning once, until cooked through.

Spread the bun cases with a little mango churtney. Add the patties and raita, and some other burger fillings if you wish, top with a little more chutney and sprinkling of fresh coriander, then the bun lid. I served mine with some spring asparagus, steamed beetroot, and cherry tomatoes. Beautiful!

Slow Cooked Spicy Lamb with Pearl Barley

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I’m moving on from winter. I’ve seen daffodils and a lamb. I’ve even dried washing outside without needing to put woollen gloves on to hang it out.

So this is the last stew or casserole post for Quite Some Time. It’s a good one to end on. The photos don’t really do it justice, but this casserole was really good. Lamb so tender. Pearl barley so perfect a partner. Flavours so toasty yet fresh due to the lime and coriander.

I adapted this recipe from one in an old Mindfood magazine. I find it’s nicer made in a slow cooker, but you could cook it in the oven if you prefer.

Slow Cooked Spicy Lamb Casserole with Pearl Barley – Serves 2

1 Tbsp olive oil
about 400g diced lamb (e.g. from shoulder chops)
1 small brown onion, finely chopped
½  red capsicum, deseeded and finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
½ tsp ground black pepper
½ tsp ground white pepper
½ tsp salt
½ tsp garlic flakes
½ tsp ground paprika
½ tsp dried thyme
400g tin chopped tomatoes
¼ cup beef stock
1 Tbsp olive oil, extra
½ cup pearl barley
1½ cups beef stock
1 lime, grated rind and ¼ cup juice
¼ cup fresh coriander leaves, chopped
extra coriander, to serve

Spray the slow cooker bowl with non-stick spray, and turn the slow cooker on HIGH to pre-heat. Heat half the oil in a large frypan, and cook half the lamb for 4-5 minutes, or until browned on all sides. Put this in the slow cooker bowl. Heat the remaining oil, brown the remaining lamb and add that to the slow cooker bowl too.


Put the frypan back on a medium heat, and gently cook the onion, capsicum and celery for a few minutes, until the onion softens. Stir in the black pepper, white pepper, salt, garlic flakes, paprika and thyme. Cook for 1 minute or until aromatic. It’s a shame this blog isn’t chronological; if it was I would have added a spoonful of my harissa paste at this point. Anyway, add the tomatoes and stock, bring to the boil and then transfer everything to the slow cooker. Put the lid on and cook for four hours on HIGH, or eight hours on LOW.

About 45 minutes before you want to eat, heat the second measure of olive oil in a saucepan. Add the pearl barley and cook for 2-3 minutes until the barley is coated in oil. Add the second measure of beef stock and bring to the boil. Simmer for 30-40 minutes, until the barley is tender. Stir through the lime rind and juice, and coriander. Season with salt and pepper and spoon into serving dishes. Top with the lamb casserole and garnish with extra coriander (I may have forgotten to garnish so picture may not reflect instruction!). Voila!