Raj Lamb Jhal Faraizi

Lowell is up for the Easter weekend, and as usual we don’t want to waste a minute when we could be in art galleries and museums. So it’s back to the world of brunch. I’m assuming this dish is a version of Jalfrezi- I saw Madhur Jaffrey do it on Saturday Kitchen a few years ago but it’s the only time I’ve seen it made like this.

340g floury potatoes, unpeeled

2 tbsp rapeseed oil

½ tsp whole cumin seeds

1 medium onion, chopped

3 green chillies, chopped

350g leftover slices of roast lamb. Diced

1 tsp salt

Pepper

2 eggs (optional)

We are in part, making this because we have leftover roast lamb but also because Lowell loves spicy food. Boil the potatoes and, once cool, dice them while Low is reading the papers. When he’s done, get him to chop the onion and chillies. There’s a very sweet comedy drama on the radio about ladies who love chocolate.  Lowell gets a smooch!

Heat a frying pan and sizzle the cumin seeds, then add the potato, onion and chilli and cook for 5 minutes. The onion should be translucent. Now add the meat, salt and pepper. Cook for another few minutes. Press down with a spatula so it forms a kind of cake. I think this is the Raj heritage of the dish – it’s sort of like bubble & squeak.

Cook for about 15 minutes, turning the pan so that it browns evenly on the bottom. Break it up and serve.

This is optional but it really does work – in another pan fry two eggs and place one on each plate, on top of the ‘hash brown’ like mixture. Cook the eggs hot so the edges of the white grow brown and crisp. We’re having it with fresh coffee that has had a couple of cardamom pods dropped into the press.

This might seem a bit full on for breakfast but we’ve taken to reading to each other, We’re on The Picture of Dorian Gray, so we’re very much into decadence.

Fully charged we’re ready to see some art!