Family meals: Easy lamb tagine

Sweet juicy apricots and tender butternut squash are a winner with kids and make for a delicious Middle Eastern family meal for toddlers through to teens and beyond Ingredients 2 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, finely diced 2 carrots, finely diced (about 150g) 500g diced leg of lamb 2 fat cloves garlic, crushed ½ tsp cumin ½ tsp ground ginger ¼ tsp saffron strands 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tbsp clear honey 100g soft dried apricots, quartered 1 low-salt vegetable stock cube 1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed and cut into 1cm dice steamed couscous or rice, to serve chopped parsley and toasted pine nuts, to serve (optional) Method Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based pan and add the onion and carrot. Cook for 3- 4 mins until softened. Add the diced lamb and brown all over. Stir in the garlic and all the spices and cook for a few mins more or until the aromas are released. Add the honey and apricots, crumble in the stock cube and pour over roughly 500ml boiling water or enough to cover the meat. Give it a good stir and bring to the boil. Turn down to a simmer, put the lid on and cook for 1 hour. Remove the lid and cook for a further 30 mins, then stir in the squash. Cook for 20 – 30 mins more until the squash is soft and the lamb is tender. Serve alongside rice or couscous and sprinkle with parsley and pine nuts, if using. 40