INGREDIENTS:
400 grams; artichoke hearts
500 grams; minced lamb
3 tblsp; veg. oil
2 onions; chopped finely
2 tsp; ground black pepper
2 tsp; bharat spice mix (ingredients found in earlier post)
2 tsp; salt
2 tblsp; butter
3 tblsp; veg. oil
3 tblsp; flour
1-2 c.; warm milk
1/4 c.; boiling water
2 tsp; salt
1 tsp; ground black pepper
2 tsp; ground cinnamon
1 1/2 c.; grated chedder cheese
DIRECTIONS:
1- Wash the artichoke hearts and set aside in a strainer. Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
2- In a frying pan heat the 3 tblsp veg. oil and add the chopped onions. Keep stirring over medium heat until lightly golden.
3- Meanwhile place the minced lamb in a pot, and cook over low heat. Keep stirring until it is entirely well cooked.
4- Combine the cooked onions with the cooked minced lamb.
5- Add the 2 tsp of: ground black pepper, bharat spice mix, and salt. Mix the ingredients well.
6- In a seperate pot, add the butter and 3 tblsp of veg. oil and melt the butter over medium heat. Once the butter has melted add the flour and roast the mixture until light gold.
7- Lower the heat, and add the warm milk slowly while you are stirring vigorously to keep the bechamel sauce smooth.(NOTE: You must not add too much milk all at once in order to keep the sauce smooth)
8- Once the whole amount of milk is used up, add boiling water in order to lighten the sauce. If you like the sauce thick then do not add water.
9- Add to the bechamel sauce, 2 tsps of the following: salt and ground cinnamon, and 1 tsp of ground black pepper. Mix thoroughly over low heat for 2 minutes.
10- Now, in a casserole dish, place a layer of the artichokes on the bottom keeping the hollow side facing up.
11- Scoop the meat mix into each artichoke heart.
12- Add on top of that the bechamel sauce and cover the artichokes and meat layer entirely.
13- Cover the casserole dish with a sheet of aluminium foil and place in the oven set at 180 degrees. Cook for 35-45 minutes.
14- Remove casserole dish from the oven, uncover and sprinkle the grated cheddar cheese on top. Place back into the oven without the foil, and broil the dish for 2-5 minutes until the top layer has become gold in colour.
Bon Appétit! :)
