Recipe Lamb, Aubergine and Beluga Lentil Balti

[Morning Glory]

This one's for @epicuric, who challenged me to invent a lentil recipe he might like! A Balti is really a kind of curry made famous in the 'curry triangle' in Birmingham. Beluga lentils are so called because they resemble caviar. You could substitute other lentils as long as they are the type that hold their shape. But I just love the dark, devilish look of this curry with the glossy black aubergine skins and the black lentils! I know lamb is expensive in some countries - you could use another type of meat adjusting the cooking time as required. I also think this dish would work well as a vegetarian meal if the meat was simply left out. This recipe serves 2.

Photographed today in natural light.

Ingredients
400g lamb neck fillet cut into large chunks
1 aubergine (eggplant)
125g cooked Beluga lentils (1/2 a Merchant Gourmet pack)
I heaped Tbsp Balti spice mix (see Recipe Balti Spice Mix)
1/2 large onion chopped
1Tbsp tomato puree
I Tbsp minced or crushed garlic
1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 whole Scotch Bonnet chilli (optional) pierced with a sharp knife.
Fresh coriander and plain yoghurt to serve.

Method

• Heat the oven to 180C.
• Chop the aubergine into small chunks and place on a non-stick oven tray. Drizzle over 1 Tbsp oil and toss the aubergine until coated.
• Bake aubergine in the oven for 20-25 mins until softened and slightly crispy.
• Gently fry the chopped onion in the oil or ghee until it is softened.
• Add the garlic and ginger and fry for a few more minutes, adding a little water if necessary
• Stir in the Balti spice mix and cook gently for five minutes adding water as required to produce a thick sauce.
• Stir in the tomato puree.
• Taste the sauce and add salt as required.
• Mix the lamb into the sauce, heat through, then turn down the heat. At this stage add the whole Scotch Bonnet (if using) and leave to simmer for 45 minutes or until the lamb is just tender.
• Add aubergine pieces and cooked lentils and stir though to heat.
• Decorate with coriander and serve with naan bread or rice, plain yoghurt and pickles of your choice.

 

[winterybella]

@epicuric I see you and @morning have a thing going on. Yet I don't see a recipe from you in the Challenge or did I miss it? Please do submit a recipe before the Challenge ends tomorrow.

I got so caught up I forgot to say how delightful this looks and there was the famous scotch bonnet (surprise you call it by the same name) staring at me.

 

[Morning Glory]

@epicuric I see you and @morning have a thing going on. Yet I don't see a recipe from you in the Challenge or did I miss it? Please do submit a recipe before the Challenge ends tomorrow.

I got so caught up I forgot to say how delightful this looks and there was the famous scotch bonnet (surprise you call it by the same name) staring at me.

The reason @epicuric hasn't posted a lentil recipe is because he doesn't like lentils - hence me trying to invent a recipe that he would like! Scotch Bonnets are popular here. I love them! Don't forget we have a big population with Jamaican roots here - so I expect that is why we call them that.

 

[winterybella]

I think I remember that conversation between the two of you but I am still inviting @epicuric, to submit a recipe. I don't know I care much for them and a lot of other things I might have posted in the challenge but I still like to submit some recipes. I recall the eggplant that I still have not been able to get and not sure you could say I love them. Come on @epicuric. Give us something.

 

[epicuric]

The reason @epicuric hasn't posted a lentil recipe is because he doesn't like lentils - hence me trying to invent a recipe that he would like! Scotch Bonnets are popular here. I love them! Don't forget we have a big population with Jamaican roots here - so I expect that is why we call them that.

Thank you @morning glory. Just to clarify, I don't dislike lentils I just have never seen the point of them so always used an alternative ingredient that I liked better. However, I really do like the look of your Lamb Balti and I will be giving it a go. I must confess it was going to be tonight. I bought two lamb neck fillets this morning and dropped them in the sous vide at lunch time to break down a bit. I also found the correct Merchant Gourmet lentils and already had the rest of the ingredients including fresh coriander. However, having to work late prompted me to donate the ingredients to my wife for one of her excellent lamb tagines instead. I now have Saturday night in mind to complete the assignment - that will be lamb four times in one week, but what the heck!

I think I remember that conversation between the two of you but I am still inviting @epicuric, to submit a recipe. I don't know I care much for them and a lot of other things I might have posted in the challenge but I still like to submit some recipes. I recall the eggplant that I still have not been able to get and not sure you could say I love them. Come on @epicuric. Give us something.

@winterybella you make a compelling argument but I should point out that I don't recall ever cooking a lentil recipe in my life. I could not post a recipe that I had not tried and perfected, so to do so before the end of tomorrow is a bit of a stretch. However, not wishing to pass up a challenge I will see if I can free up some time tomorrow morning - no promises but we'll see!

 

[Morning Glory]

Thank you @morning glory. Just to clarify, I don't dislike lentils I just have never seen the point of them so always used an alternative ingredient that I liked better. However, I really do like the look of your Lamb Balti and I will be giving it a go. I must confess it was going to be tonight. I bought two lamb neck fillets this morning and dropped them in the sous vide at lunch time to break down a bit. I also found the correct Merchant Gourmet lentils and already had the rest of the ingredients including fresh coriander. However, having to work late prompted me to donate the ingredients to my wife for one of her excellent lamb tagines instead. I now have Saturday night in mind to complete the assignment - that will be lamb four times in one week, but what the heck!

Excellent. I really hope it works. Beg to differ re sous-vide (although I don't have one!). The point is for the lamb to cook slowly in the sauce to develop the flavour. Even better if you can cook it and leave 24 hours to marinate in the sauce! But I'm absolutely delighted that you are going to try this out. I'm not sure if anyone has actually tried one of my recipes before!

@winterybella you make a compelling argument but I should point out that I don't recall ever cooking a lentil recipe in my life. I could not post a recipe that I had not tried and perfected, so to do so before the end of tomorrow is a bit of a stretch. However, not wishing to pass up a challenge I will see if I can free up some time tomorrow morning - no promises but we'll see!

You are like me. I couldn't post anything I hadn't tried either! Sorry if I misconstrued and thought you didn't actually like lentils.

 

[winterybella]

Excellent. I really hope it works. Beg to differ re sous-vide (although I don't have one!). The point is for the lamb to cook slowly in the sauce to develop the flavour. Even better if you can cook it and leave 24 hours to marinate in the sauce! But I'm absolutely delighted that you are going to try this out. I'm not sure if anyone has actually tried one of my recipes before!



You are like me. I couldn't post anything I hadn't tried either! Sorry if I misconstrued and thought you didn't actually like lentils.

I might feel bad on another occasion, but not tonight. If that was true in my case I would have to sit on the sidelines way too often . My present life does not allow me to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. I have to be content with building a resource that I can consult as time goes by. That said, I encourage all to get involved.You might not get to make it but someone here who has the time might get to time and the ingredients to make the dish or 'revisit' it. So come on @epicuric

 

[Diane Lane]

That dish looks amazing @morning glory. Like @winterybella, my life isn't permitting me to do much of what i'd prefer to be doing right now, such as trying out these delicious looking recipes. I do have an eggplant sitting downstairs, but I will probably just grill it and eat it with a little oil, although I'm considering making a baba ganoush.

 

[epicuric]

Excellent. I really hope it works. Beg to differ re sous-vide (although I don't have one!). The point is for the lamb to cook slowly in the sauce to develop the flavour. Even better if you can cook it and leave 24 hours to marinate in the sauce! But I'm absolutely delighted that you are going to try this out. I'm not sure if anyone has actually tried one of my recipes before!



You are like me. I couldn't post anything I hadn't tried either! Sorry if I misconstrued and thought you didn't actually like lentils.

Well I do now! Cooked your Lamb Balti recipe last night and it was amazing. I do confess to a few deviations though. I forgot to get an aubergine, and used four birds eye chillies instead of the scotch bonnet. Also my spices are now past there best so the Balti mix I made was a bit underwhelming. This was easily fixed by adding more garlic and ginger, and a teaspoon of hot curry powder. The lentils gave depth and body to the curry. It really was superb, thank you!

 

[Morning Glory]

Well I do now! Cooked your Lamb Balti recipe last night and it was amazing. I do confess to a few deviations though. I forgot to get an aubergine, and used four birds eye chillies instead of the scotch bonnet. Also my spices are now past there best so the Balti mix I made was a bit underwhelming. This was easily fixed by adding more garlic and ginger, and a teaspoon of hot curry powder. The lentils gave depth and body to the curry. It really was superb, thank you!
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Phew! I was worried you might not like it. I believe you are the first person to try one of my recipes so I should send you a prize for bravery and dedication. Forgetting the aubergine was a bit of a change to the recipe though. But if it worked without it, that's great.