Michael Caines's lamb and lentil curry

Ditch your Friday night takeaway and do it home instead with this delicious recipe form Michelin star chef Michael Caines.

Serves 4Prep: 15 minutesCook: Approximately 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients: 40ml vegetable oil500g stewing lamb, cubed1½ tsp Madras curry powder¼ tsp cumin seeds1 garlic clove, crushed100g carrot, diced70g leek, diced60g onion, chopped80g puy lentils, or lentils of your choice1.2 litres water1 tbsp chicken bouillon1 small bouquet garni (bay leaf, parsley stalk, thyme, leek, celery tied with string into a small bouquet)Salt and pepper

Method:

• Heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan, then add the lamb in batches and seal well, colouring lightly. Add the curry powder and cumin seeds and roast for a minute.

• Stir in the chopped garlic, carrot, leek and onion and cook gently for 3 minutes. Then add the lentils, water, chicken bouillon and bouquet garni, bring to the boil and then reduce to simmer.

• Season with salt and pepper and cook for 45 minutes to an hour on a low heat. The lentils should be cooked soft in texture and the lamb tender.

Serve with rice or accompaniments of your choice

FUN FACTS:

Puy LentilsFrom the Le Puy region in France - Hence the name, they are considered to be the best lentils as they hold their shape when cooked, and have a unique peppery flavour

Bouquet GarniTranslates as a garnished bouquet! A bundle of herbs tied together with string or sometimes tied in a muslin cloth. Used to flavour, curries, soups, stocks and casseroles. It is removed before serving.