Barbacoa is a Mexican term which usually means the meat has been slowly cooked with seasonings. Here the same flavours and warm aromatic spices are used but I use lean lamb mince for a quick and economical alternative.
This dish can be as simple or as complicated as you chose to make it…using packet rice, shop bought naan and hummus makes it a really quick, tasty mid-week meal but if you’ve a bit more time on your hands you can go all out, flavour your own rice, and make your own hummus and naan! The star of the show will be that beautifully spiced, aromatic lamb.
Serves 2
Grab:
200g lean lamb mince
1 onion
4-6 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon of dried chipotle chilli flakes (regular chilli flakes will suffice)
1 tablespoon of smoked chipotle sauce
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 chicken stock cube
1 tin of plum tomatoes (450g)
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
To build the bowl:
Hummus
2 Naan bread
1 cucumber
8 baby plum tomatoes (per person)
1/2 pack of Mexican Rice
Bunch of fresh coriander
100g of feta cheese
How to?
Start by cooking preparing the lamb.
1. Peel and chop the onion and garlic cloves. Place in a medium sized, heavy based saucepan with a tablespoon of oil. Cook under a medium heat until the onion starts to soften and become translucent
2. Add all of the spices, vinegar and sugar. Cook over a low heat for a few minutes until the spices start to release their aromas.
3. Turn the heat to high and brown the mince, stirring welland often to ensure the mince is well browned and coated in the spices
4. Turn down the heat to medium again and add in the tinned tomatoes, stock (no water just the stock cube) and the salt
5. Cook over a medium heat, stirring occasionally and leave the sauce gently bubbling uncovered until the meat is fully cooked and the sauce has reduced and thickened with a glossy sheen. This will take between 10-15 minutes.
Prepare the veg for the bowl:
6. Take the cucumber and remove the outer skin. Chop into half-length ways and then chop again into small pieces
7. Half the baby plum tomatoes
8. Chop the feta into 1cm cubes
9. Roughly chop the coriander
Build your bowl:
10. Start with adding hummus to the centre of the bowl and add your veg around it. Add in your rice to the side of the bowl.
11. Cut your naan into triangles and place into the humus
12. Add a generous serving of the lamb onto your bowl and sprinkle a little chilli powder onto your humus. Top with the chopped coriander and get stuck in!