Ingredients

The following ingredients have 5 Servings
  • 1 kg – 2 lbs. lamb (cut into 5 to 6 cm – 2" or 3" pieces)
  • 2 medium onions (finely chopped)
  • 3 cloves garlic (chopped)
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 ½ tsp ginger paste
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • ½ tsp saffron threads (melted in 1 tbsp warm water)
  • ¼ tsp red chilli powder
  • ¼ tsp Ras El Hanout
  • 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 small bunch of coriander
  • ¾ cup dried apricots
  • ¾ cup dried prunes (pitted)
  • ½ cup slivered almonds (toasted)
  • 3 cups water

Instruction

  • In an oven proof casserole, sauté the lamb in the extra virgin olive oil until golden brown. Remove it and keep it aside.
  • In the same casserole, melt the butter and sauté the onions, until golden brown. Add all the spices except for the saffron and coriander and stir well. 
  • Add the browned lamb, the saffron, coriander, apricots, prunes and water. Bring it to a simmering point on the stove.
  • Cover the casserole/dish (if your dish doesn’t have a lid, use aluminium foil and stretch it to the edges of the dish in order to minimise evaporation and the loss of juices) and place it on the lowest rack of the oven. Adjust the heat so that the liquid simmers very slowly, it has to go on for 3-4 hours. I cooked it at 150ºC – 300ºF for 3 and a half hours.
  • Then cook on the stove on high heat to reduce the remaining liquids until the sauce is thick.
  • Garnish with the toasted slivered almonds and more coriander leaves. Serve warm with couscous.