Yummy arab stew recipe, nom nom nom...

Now we’re coming into autumn, and Little T is back at school, I like to try and start the new term being super organised, and always plan to make sure there are healthy, yummy meals at the ready when we all get home from work and school (This wonderfully-organised working mum facade usually lasts about a week).  So, today I climbed into the back of my kitchen cupboards, retrieved my slow cooker and dusted it off.  I had every intention of using it to make a chicken curry, but when I opened the chicken it smelt a bit iffy so I chucked it in the bin.  Deciding to make sausage casserole instead, I took the sausages out of the freezer and then realised that I wasn’t sure if you could put frozen sausages in a slow cooker.  I didn’t have time to defrost them as I wanted to put the slow cooker on straight away so I put them under the hot tap instead.  This ripped the sausage skin from the sausages, leaving me with a handful of half frozen-half mushy sausage meat.  The sausages went in the bin too. 

So far, operation super-organised is not quite going to plan. 

However, I’m not usually this bad when it comes to slow cooking, and have jotted down my shopping list to make sure that tomorrow, I buy all of the ingredients I need to make my famous Arab stew.  Big T’s half Arab and when we moved in together, I got the recipe from his mum (so really, it’s her famous Arab stew, not mine) and it’s so lovely, warm and delicious that I thought I’d share with you. 

 

Serves:  About 6-8 depending on how greedy people are in your house

Prep time:  15 mins

Cooking time:  Slow cook on low for 8 hours or, I suppose on high for 4 hours (Never cooked on high before so I’m guessing)

Ingredients:

Half leg of lamb, diced OR 2 packs of diced lamb from a supermarket

4 medium potatoes

3 large carrots

1 large onion

2 tomatoes

3 tbs tomato puree

2 or 3 peppers of different colours

1 large tin of marrowfat peas

1 tin chopped tomatoes

1 passata

Cup of water

1 tsp paprika

1tsp turmeric

1tsp ground cinnamon

1tsp hot chilli powder

½ tsp mild curry powder

Method

1)      Cut up all of the veg, nice and chunky

2)      Fry the onions in a pan – when soft, add the lamb until sealed and browned

3)      Pop the onions and lamb in the slow cooker, followed by all of the vegetables

4)      Add the chopped tomatoes’, puree, passata and marrowfat peas and give it a bit of a stir to mix everything up

5)      Add the spices and give it another stir

6)      Add a bit of water if the veg isn’t properly covered, but not too much as the slow cooker makes things  a bit runny if you’re not careful

7)      Put the cover on and turn the switch to ”high”

Once done, best served with couscous and bread but it goes down well with pasta too.  I suppose you could swap the lamb for beef or chicken but I can’t vouch for how this tastes as I’ve never made it with any other meats before. 

This can also be cooked in a stock-pot on the hob (which is my fave way of cooking it if I get the time) the only difference is you need to add the spices to the meat, then add the puree, chopped tomatoes and passata and then pop in the veg. So it’s kind of backwards.  Stir frequently to prevent burning.

It really is a lovely cold-day kind of meal and can be frozen afterwards and makes a yummy lunch for work the next day as there’s plenty of leftovers. 

That’s it, hope you enjoy, and if anyone knows whether I can put frozen sausages in a slow cooker, please leave me a comment below!

***Edited to link to the fabulous Medicore Mum whose blog features "Slow cooker sunday" - please pop over and have a look at her scrummy slow cooker recipes!**