Skinny Lamb Chilli with Wholegrain Brown Rice

As you all probably know, I’m currently visiting my family in sunny Brazil before our big move to Australia.

Since Matt and I are not coming back to London anytime soon, I had to make sure I used up everything in my fridge. I absolutely HATE wasting food, so I was going to be damn sure to use everything I had stocked up on. I had a whole stocked freezer to cook up – not that I minded of course!

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Queue this lamb chili.

I had bought some minced lamb chili a while back and kept it safe in my freezer for later use. I had this chili in mind for a while, but simply hadn’t gotten around to actually making.

Finally, the time had arrived. Oh the joy!

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Chilli is a dish that I absolutely love. It’s so simple to make, bursting with flavour, and, if done a certain way, it can be a healthy meal.

In this version I’ve drained away the fat, added avocado as a topping for extra goodness, brown rice for those complex carbs and fiber, and substituted the sour cream for a delicious spoonful (or two) of yogurt and cottage cheese. Simply heaven.

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Now, this recipe will require a bit of simultaneous pan-handling. I know it might sound a bit daunting, but stay with me ok? It’s not. I know you can do it. It’ll definitely be worth it.

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To make enough for two very hungry people, or four normal people, you will need:

For the chilli:

  • 500g lean lamb mince
  • 1 red onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 2 celery sticks, chopped
  • 1 tin chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tin kidney beans (in brine if possible)
  • 1 red chili (de-seed if you’re not into too much spice)
  • 1 square of beef stock (low sodium & gluten free if possible)
  • 1 tsp of paprika & cumin seeds
  • 2 handfuls of cherry tomatoes, halved

 
To serve:

  • 1 avocado, flesh scooped out
  • 2 – 4 tbsp cottage cheese or natural/greek yogurt
  • 2 cups cooked wholegrain brown rice*
  • Handful of spinach & rockett leaves
  • 1 lime, halved

 
To garnish:

  • Coriander or chevril
  • Sprinkle of crushed chili flakes

 
Place two pans on the stove – one will be for your meat, and the other for your veggies. Once the meat pan is hot, add your lamb mince and resist the urge the toss it about, since you want it to become nice and brown and not grey and uuugly. In the veggie pan, dry roast your cumin seeds and then add your onions, with a bit of olive oil, and not long after your garlic.

Check your meat. If the side on the pan has browned nicely, toss it about so that the other side can brown and cook. Once the onions and garlic are nice and cooked in your veg pan, add your celery and carrots, as well as your chili, salt, pepper, paprika, and crumble in your stock.

Once both sides look browned, take your lamb mince out of the pan and drain out as much of the oil and fat as possible. This can be done by tilting the pan and holding your mince in place with a slotted spoon. Place on a paper towel and set aside. Doesn’t matter if it isn’t fully cooked through yet, as it’ll continue to cook later on.

Once the carrots and celery are almost soft, add in your tinned tomatoes and beans. Stir about, and once it starts to slightly boil add in your mince. Let gently simmer for 10-15 minutes so all those flavours can get acquainted. In the last minute, stir in your cherry tomatoes.

Assemble a pretty bowl with your rice, salad leaves, and chili. Top with avocado and yogurt, sprinkle with herbs and chilli flakes, and squeeze your lime over everything!

Done! You’ve worked hard chef, time to enjoy the fruits of your labour!

*I prefer the short grain. Simply cook your brown rice according to the instructions in the packet. It generally takes around 30-40 minutes.

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Matt loved this dish! He couldn’t get enough of it, and only stopped eating when he physically couldn’t anymore. Success? I think so!

It’s also a perfect dish to make ahead, as it freezes really well and tastes even better when re-heated the next day. Just store in an air-tight container!

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