A super simple dinner for two with curried lamb mince.

Now if you’re looking for a quick, fuss-free midweek meal that packs some flavour, you’ve come to the right recipe.

This spiced lamb mince recipe for two was an old favourite of mine when Dan and I both lived in our first flat together. My love of cooking wasn’t quite as strong then, so although I loved to try new things and keep our meals interesting, I really preferred getting something quickly on the table so we could go out and meet friends (or I could veg out in front of the sofa for most of the evening.)

It was originally inspired by a recipe I spotted in a Co-Op magazine, but over the years I tweaked it to get it just right. And now that I prefer to spend a little extra time in the kitchen getting the flavour combinations a little more spot on, I think I’ve finally nailed it.

Topping naan breads with spicy yet slightly sweet crispy lamb mince is honestly a bit of a game changer. I quite like to pair this simple midweek dinner for two with some fragrant coriander rice, or even a simple onion and tomato salad with some supermarket onion bhajis (or make your own, go on, make me proud!).

Recipe ingredients

• 475g lamb mince
• Half of 1 red onion
• 1 medium carrot
• 1 red pepper
• 5 garlic cloves
• 1 quarter of a cucumber
• 4 tablespoons of mango chutney
• 1 teaspoon of tandoori curry powder
• 1 teaspoon of tumeric
• 1 teaspoon of ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon of chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon of tomato puree
• Half a teaspoon of ground mace
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 2 garlic and coriander naan breads
• 4 tablespoons of raita
• Salt & pepper
• Olive oil

Cooking utensils

• A deep dish / saucepan
• A baking tray
• Sharp knives
• Wooden spoon
• Ladle
• Chopping board

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees.
2. Finely chop your cloves of garlic, separating 3 garlic cloves and 2 garlic cloves in separate bowls and setting side.
3. Finely dice your half of a red onion and your carrot. Then heat a splash of olive oil in your pan on a medium heat, before tipping in your onion and carrot.
4. Let the vegetables sweat for about 5 minutes before tipping in your lamb mince.
5. Break up the mince with your spoon and try to get it spread evenly across the pan, before letting it fry for about 4 minutes untouched. This will help it crisp rather than stew!
6. Continue to cook off your lamb mince for about another 4 minutes, giving it a stir as and when needed.
7. Now, let’s add some flavour. Add a heaped teaspoon of tandoori curry powder, one teaspoon of turmeric, one teaspoon of cumin, one teaspoon of ground coriander and half a teaspoon of ground mace. Make sure your lamb and vegetables are nicely coated.
8. Moving away from your lamb, you now need to chop your red pepper relatively finely – you want some texture but not massive chunks. Add them to the pan, along with 3 of your chopped garlic cloves. Give it all a stir and cook out for a further few minutes.
9. Your ingredients should be taking on a nice colour now. Time to add in a teaspoon of chilli powder and a teaspoon of tomato puree. Stir and cook for a further minute or two.
10. Now, add two good dollops of mango chutney and some salt and pepper, stirring throughly. Now put everything on a very low heat, so you can focus on your naan breads.
11. Get your naan breads out of their packaging, lay onto a baking tray and cook them just two minutes less than the packaging instructions.
12. In a small bowl, add your two tablespoons of butter and melt in the microwave – this should take 30 seconds maximum.
13. Stir in your remaining two diced garlic gloves and then pour carefully over your naan breads. Use the back of a tablespoon to spread evenly.
14. Cook for a further two minutes.
15. In the meantime, finely dice your cucumber and set aside.
16. Now it’s time to assemble your naan breads. Spread two tablespoons of raita across each naans (or more if you fancy it saucier) and then dollop on an extra tablespoon of mango chutney on top.
17. Top your sauced up naan breads with your spicy crispy lamb mince, and sprinkle your diced cucumber on top.
18. Serve up with your choice of sides and enjoy!

Tasty tips!

• If you’re not a massive fan of lamb mince, simply swap it out for some lean beef mince, or even turkey mince for a healthier option!
• Add an extra kick with a finely diced red chilli either in your crispy lamb mince or on the top as a garnish.
• You’ll be surprised how filling this dish is, so I would suggest some lighter sides to accompany it. Don’t be fooled by the one naan bread each!