Spicy Ground Beef with Dates

Creating new dishes that the boys really like is a joy. This is an experimental dinner dish inspired by my discovery of baharat. I make up a batch of baharat spice and keep it in my pantry to have handy. I totally love this spice! I'm pretty sure my recipe doesn’t follow any traditional Arabic dish, but if it does please let me know. Spicy, sweet and halal, this dish goes well with rice or naan. Serve with a side of tabbouleh or a nice tomato, cucumber, onion, avocado salad.

Serves 4

Time: 10 min prep 20 min cooking

Ingredients

1 pkg Halal ground beef (approx .5 lbs)

1 medium onion diced

2 cloves garlic minced

2 tbs extra virgin olive oil

7 medjool dates pitted and chopped

1/2 cup homemade beef stock or halal substitute

1 can of lentils rinsed or 1 cup pre-soaked dry lentils

2 tbs Baharat spice (see recipe below)

Heat 2 tbs olive oil on medium high in large fry pan. Add diced onion and garlic and saute until onion starts to turn golden about 2 min.

Add the ground beef and saute until no longer pink. Add 2 tbs of the baharat spice mixing in well. When the spice starts to fragrance the kitchen slowly add 1/2 cup beef stock and the chopped dates.

Simmer for about 10 minutes stirring occasionally letting the flavors blend.

Bismillah :)

Baharat spice mix

2 tbs pepper

1.5 tbs cumin

1 tbs coriander

1 tbs allspice

1 tbs cinnamon

1.5 tsp cardamom

1 tsp clove

1 tsp nutmeg

0.5 tsp chilli powder

0.5 tsp ginger

**optional – 1 tsp turmeric and rose petals (be creative)

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