Persian-style Lamb & Eggplant Stew

Preheat the oven to 160°C. Season the eggplant pieces with salt, toss to coat. Place into a colander over a large bowl. Let stand for 10-15 minutes. to allow some of the liquid to be released.

Once drained, lightly rinse the eggplant and pat-dry thoroughly with a tea towel or paper towel. Using 3 tablespoons of olive oil brush oil over the eggplant and place on a baking tray. Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes. Set aside.

Meanwhile, season the lamb with a little pepper, then pour over one tablespoon of the oil and toss to coat. Heat a heavy based casserole pan over a medium-high heat. Sear the meat, in batches, until browned on all sides. Transfer lamb to a bowl.

Add the onions to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add ground coriander and cinnamon stick. Return the cooked lamb and its juices to the pan and then add the tomatoes and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes.

In a heatproof jug or bowl dissolve Continental StockPot in 200mls hot water. Pour over lamb mixture and stir to combine. Stir in currants. Place the lid on and bake in the oven for 1 ½ hours or until the meat is tender. Once the lamb is cooked, stir through the cooked eggplant, lime zest and juice. Garnish with mint leaves and serve with rice. Recipe by Justine Schofield courtesy of Everyday Gourmet TV.