Lebanese Lamb

Lebanese lamb served with homemade baba ghanoush, and warm pita bread sounds like a dream, doesn't it? This lamb is flavoured with earthy herbs and spices, and it's cooked to perfection in just a few minutes. Baba ghanoush, a roasted eggplant dip, is rich in flavour and compliments the lamb. The warm, soft, fluffy pita bread is the perfect bed for these marvellous flavours. All of these elements make the soul dance in joy!

Serves: 4

Ingredients

Lamb

500g minced Lamb

2 minced Garlic cloves

1 chopped Onion

1 ½ tbsp Cumin powder

1 tsp Chilli powder

½ tsp Fenugreek powder

2 tsp Coriander powder

Salt to taste

1 tsp Cinnamon

1 ½ Chilli paste

10g chopped Coriander leaves

Baba Ghanoush

3 Eggplants

4 minced Garlic cloves

Salt to taste

½ Lemon

3 tbsp Tahini

Pita Bread

1 ½ cup + 4 tbsp lukewarm Water

7g Yeast

1 tsp Sugar

1 tsp Salt

2 cups plain Flour

2 cups Wheat flour

2 tbsp Olive oil

Method

Step 1- Lamb

To a pan, add oil and place on heat. Once hot, add onion and garlic. Then reduce the heat to medium and cook till the onions are slightly golden brown. Stir occasionally. Then reduce the heat to low and add cumin powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, cinnamon, salt, chilli paste and fenugreek powder. Add 2 tbsp of water and mix well.

Step 2

Return heat to medium and add the minced lamb to the pan. Start breaking the lamb chunks into tiny pieces. Then mix in thoroughly. Cook the lamb for 4-5 minutes, add coriander leaves and mix in. Cook for 1-2 minutes, then garnish with pomegranate and mint. Keep aside.

Step 3- Baba Ghanoush

Preheat the oven to 230℃. Cut the eggplant lengthwise, making two halves. Then wrap the eggplants with foil and place them on a baking tray. Place the baking tray in the oven and bake for 55-60 minutes. Then take the tray out and let the eggplants rest for 15 minutes.

Step 4

Now cut into the foil and start peeling the eggplants. Discard the skin and add the pulp to a bowl. Add minced garlic, lemon juice, tahini and salt to the bowl. Now mash the pulp to a smooth paste with a masher. Add to a bowl, drizzle some extra virgin olive oil and garnish with pomegranate.

Step 5- Pita Bread

Add 1 ½ cups lukewarm water, yeast and sugar to a bowl. Mix well and keep in a warm space for 10-15 minutes. In another bowl, sift the plain flour, the wheat flour and salt. Whisk everything together. Make a well and add yeast water in the middle. With a fork, mix the flour into the water.

Step 6

Once the flour is partially mixed in with a dough hook/hand knead, add the leftover water and olive oil. Then knead the dough into a ball and cover the bowl. Let it rest for 30 minutes or till it doubles in size.

Step 7

After 30 minutes, transfer the dough to a slab and divide it into 8 balls. Then sprinkle some flour over the slab. Now with a rolling pin, flatten the dough balls into a 6-inch circle ¼ inch thick. Place a pan on heat. Once hot, cook the pita for 2-3 minutes on each side.

Step 8- Assembly

On a hot pita, spread baba ghanoush, add lamb, and some pomegranate and mint. Serve with hummus and tzatziki.

Tips

1. When adding spices to the pan, make sure to reduce the heat; otherwise, you can burn the spices.

2. Breaking the mince can take some time. Do its stages.

3. When wrapping the eggplants in foil, make sure there are no gaps.

4. Place the eggplants roasted and let them rest before cutting into the foil.

5. You can blend the eggplant pulp if in a hurry.

6. Make sure to use lukewarm water to activate the yeast.

7. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes or until it doubles in size.

8. You can also bake pita bread in the oven at 180℃ for 7-9 minutes.