Chomp And Cheers: Lamb And Chick Pea Mediterranean Curry and White Peach Sangria

Lamb And Chick Pea Mediterranean Curry

Ingredients:

Olive Oil; 300 g diced Lean Lamb Shoulder; 1 tsp. Mustard Seeds; ¼ tsp. Ground Turmeric; 1 tsp. Chilli Powder; 1 tbsp. Madras Curry Powder; 5cm piece of Ginger sliced; 5-6 Cloves of Garlic sliced; 3 Onions sliced; 10 Curry Leaves; Boiled Chick Peas; 1 Vegetable Stock Cube; 200gms Tomato Puree; 200g tin of Light Coconut Milk; 200g Spinach; 1 bunch of fresh Coriander; Salt and Pepper to taste.

Method:

Heat 2 tbsp. of oil in a large pan over medium heat. Once hot, add curry leaves and mustard seeds and when it splutters, add sliced onions, and cook gently for 15 minutes, or until browned, stirring occasionally. Add lamb pieces and cook on high flame until coated. Add peeled and finely sliced ginger, garlic and the spice powders and cook well, add in the chickpeas and crumble in the stock cube. Pour in the tomato puree and about 500 ml of hot water. Season lightly with salt and black pepper, then slowly bring to a boil, mashing the tomatoes with the back of a spoon. Cover with a lid, reduce the heat to low, and simmer gently for 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until the lamb is tender and the sauce has thickened and reduced, occasionally stirring and scraping any bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the coconut milk and spinach to the pan, stir well, then bring just back to the boil. Have a taste and season to perfection, then tear the coriander leaves over the top. Delicious served with brown basmati rice.

White Peach Sangria

Ingredients:

2 large fresh Yellow Peaches (about 1 pound total), sliced; 1/4 cup Sugar; 3/4 cup Peach Liqueur or Peach Schnapps; 1 bottle White Wine; 1 litre Ginger Ale, chilled.

Method:

Place the sliced peaches into the bottom of the sangria pitcher. In a small saucepan, bring 1/4 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup of water to a boil. Stir until the sugar dissolves completely. Remove from heat and let it cool. This is your simple syrup. Pour the simple syrup, peach liqueur and white wine over the peaches. Stir. Place the pitcher in the refrigerator and let it sit for at least 2 hours, up to overnight. When ready to serve, top the pitcher off with chilled ginger ale and stir gently. Serve in wine glasses, allowing a piece of fruit or two into each glass.