The Times Magazine - UK (2022-05-14)

34 The Times Magazine

CHICKEN AND SPINACH CURRY

Serves 4

Spinach is rich in iron, but we need some
vitamin C as well to help us absorb it. So
here’s a top tip: add a squeeze of fresh lemon
to the curry before serving.

• 1 large onion, roughly chopped


• 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped


• 15g root ginger, peeled and roughly chopped


• 1 tsp coconut oil, ghee or vegetable oil


• 1 tsp mustard seeds


• 1 tsp cumin seeds


• 1 tbsp curry powder


• 1 tbsp tomato puree


• 4 skinless chicken thigh fillets, diced


• 200ml chicken stock or water


• 500g frozen chopped spinach, defrosted


• Small bunch of coriander, finely chopped


• Sea salt and black pepper


• 100g plain yoghurt


• Juice of half a lemon

1. Put the onion, garlic cloves and ginger into
   a food processor and whizz to form a puree.


2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan or a
   flameproof casserole dish. Add the mustard and
   cumin seeds and fry them until they pop. Stir
   in the curry powder for 1 minute, then add the
   onion puree and fry for a few minutes until
   the mixture is very aromatic and reduced.


3. Stir in the tomato puree and continue to
   cook, stirring constantly until everything is

well combined and the tomato puree has lost

its raw edge. Add the diced chicken and stir

until it’s all well coated in the spicy puree.

4. Pour in the stock or water and stir to
   deglaze the pan, then stir in the spinach and
   most of the coriander. Season with salt and
   pepper. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat
   down and simmer for 15 minutes, until the
   chicken is completely cooked through and
   tender and the sauce has reduced a little.


5. Stir in the yoghurt and leave to simmer
   for a couple of minutes; don’t let the mixture
   boil. Add the lemon juice before serving and
   garnish with the remaining coriander.

LAMB AND RICE SALAD

Serves 4

There’s something about the sweetness of

lamb that’s bang on with a bit of fruit.

• 2 lamb leg steaks (about 300g in total)


• Zest and juice of half a lemon


• 1 tsp dried mint


• 1 tsp sumac (optional)


• Sea salt and black pepper

For the salad

• 4 apricots, halved and stoned


• 4 baby leeks or large spring onions


• 100g asparagus spears


• 100g broad beans


• 150g cooked black wild rice or red rice


• 200g baby spinach

For the dressing

• 1 tsp olive oil


• Juice of half a lemon

For the garnish

• Leaves from a small bunch of parsley


• Leaves from a small bunch of mint


• Fronds from a small bunch of dill (optional)

1. Trim the lamb steaks of any thick pieces of
   fat. Put the zest and juice in a bowl and add
   the mint and sumac, if using. Mix thoroughly.
   Season the steaks with salt and pepper, then
   add them to the bowl. Stir to coat.


2. Heat a griddle pan. Cook the apricots, leeks
   or spring onions and the asparagus, turning
   them regularly until softened and lightly
   charred. Remove from the pan. Slice the
   apricots into wedges and cut the vegetables
   into 3cm lengths. Cook the broad beans in
   boiling water until tender. Set aside.


3. Add the steaks to the pan and cook for
   several minutes on each side until well
   charred but still slightly pink in the middle.
   Remove from the pan and slice thinly.


4. Arrange the cooked rice and baby spinach
   on a large serving dish and top with the
   asparagus, leeks or spring onions, broad beans,
   most of the herbs and the slices of lamb. Toss
   lightly, then add the apricots.


5. Whisk together the olive oil and lemon
   juice with salt and pepper. Drizzle over the
   salad and garnish with the remaining herbs.
   Serve the salad warm.

CALS

200

COOK

30 MINS

CALS

330

COOK

20 MINS