Crispy Lamb Mince Bowl with Couscous and Salad
Looking for some lamb mince recipe inspiration? Look no further than this Crispy Lamb Mince Bowl! Imagine soft, nutty couscous topped with spicy, smoky lamb mince, tangy pickled onions, cooling cucumber and tomato salad, a dollop of fresh Greek yoghurt and a sprinkling of jewelled pomegranate seeds and crispy onions. Simply delicious.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Easy Dinner Recipes
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Moroccan
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients:
- For the lamb:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 500g lamb mince
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp harissa
For the giant couscous:
- 350g giant couscous
- 1 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 20g fresh mint, roughly chopped
- 20g parsley, roughly chopped
For the quick pickled red onion:
- 1 red onion, sliced
- Juice of ½ lemon
- Salt, to taste
For the tomato and cucumber salad:
- 350g cherry tomatoes, diced
- ½ cucumber, peeled and diced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
To serve:
- 4 tbsp crispy onions
- 2 tbsp pomegranate seeds (optional)
- Fresh coriander
- 4 tbsp full-fat Greek yoghurt
- Sumac, for sprinkling
- Olive oil, to drizzle
Instructions
- Add the oil to a large non-stick frying pan and place over a medium-high heat. Once hot, crumble in the lamb mince and sprinkle in the spices. Season well then break up with the back of a wooden spoon to remove any clumps. Leave to cook for about 5 minutes - you should hear it sizzling over the high heat.
- Give it a good stir - it should have turned from pink to grey, but we want it to go deep golden and crispy which can take a little while. Continue to cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring as needed to stop it from sticking to the pan, or until deliciously golden and crispy. Stir in the harissa and continue to cook for 1 minute.
- Meanwhile, make the giant couscous: boil the giant couscous according to packet instructions. Drain well and tip into a bowl. Whilst still hot, add the crushed garlic and olive oil. Season generously and stir well. Leave to cool a little before adding the chopped mint and parsley.
- Next, make the quick pickled red onion: pop the sliced onion into a small bowl. Add the lemon juice and a pinch of salt, to taste. Scrunch with your hands to separate the onion slices and coat in the salty lemon juice. Leave to stand for at least 5 minutes.
- Finally, make the tomato and cucumber salad: put the diced tomatoes and cucumber into a bowl. Mix well and season to taste.
- To assemble, scoop the cous cous into bowls. Top with the crispy lamb, followed by the tomato and cucumber salad and pickled red onion. Scatter over crispy onions, pomegranate seeds and fresh coriander. Add a dollop of yoghurt to each bowl and sprinkle with sumac. Drizzle with olive oil and enjoy!
Notes
- Mince: although this is a recipe for crispy lamb mince, you can use other types of mince if you prefer. Beef and pork both work well. Just make sure you have a fat percentage of around 20% for the best flavour and texture.
- Lemon couscous: use the zest from the lemon (for the quick pickled red onion) in the giant couscous. It gives a wonderfully refreshing, zingy flavour.
- Serving suggestions: I love serving this crispy lamb mince with giant couscous. However, it is equally delicious with rice, regular couscous or bulgur wheat. Alternatively, pop it into a flatbread and serve it like a wrap with hummus and Greek yoghurt.