- 3 lb lamb boneless stew meat, cut into 1.5-inch cubes
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1.5 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 3 cups rich beef or lamb stock
- 2 carrots, chunked
- 1 sweet potato, chunked
- 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained
- 1/2 cup dried apricots, halved
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped, for finishing
- Kosher salt and black pepper
Ginger-Cumin Moroccan Lamb Stew
Ingredients
Method
- Pat the lamb dry and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown the lamb in batches, about 4-5 minutes per batch, until well seared on all sides. Set aside.
- Add the onion to the pot and cook until softened and golden, about 7 minutes. Add garlic and ginger, cooking 1 minute until fragrant.
- Stir in the cumin, cinnamon, and turmeric, toasting the spices in the pan for 30-60 seconds until fragrant - this blooms their flavor before the liquid goes in.
- Return the lamb to the pot and add the stock, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook at a low simmer (or 325°F oven) for 1 hour 15 minutes.
- Add the carrots and sweet potato, and continue simmering, covered, for 30 minutes more.
- Stir in the chickpeas and dried apricots and simmer uncovered 15-20 minutes, until the meat is tender, the vegetables are cooked through, and the stew has thickened slightly.
- Taste and adjust salt, then finish with fresh cilantro before serving over rice or with warm pita.
Chef's tip
Toasting the ground spices in the fat before adding liquid makes a real difference here - it wakes up the cumin, cinnamon, and turmeric so the stew tastes layered instead of just seasoned.
