Ingredients:

  • Spice mix, combined in small bowl:
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1½ tbsp paprika
  • 1½ tbsp ground ginger
  • 1 tbsp turmeric
  • 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 1kg of lamb, trimmed and cut into chunks
  • 2 large onions, grated (or chopped fine)
  • I large yellow sweet potato, cut into chunks
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil or ghee
  • 3 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 3 large cans chopped tomatoes
  • 100g organic dried apricots, cut in half
  • 50g organic raisins
  • 100g sliced almonds
  • 1 tsp saffron threads, soaked in cold water
  • 500ml lamb stock (or vegetable stock)
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 2 tbsp celery leaves, roughly chopped
  • 2 tbsp flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Directions:

  1. Place the lamb in a large bowl and toss together with half of the spice mix. Cover and leave overnight in the fridge.
  2. Preheat oven to 150 degrees celcius
    Heat 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp of other oil in a large tagine or other casserole dish.
  3. Add the grated or chopped onion and the remaining spice mix and cook over a gentle heat for 10 minutes so that the onions are soft but not colored. Add the crushed garlic for the final 3 minutes.
  4. In a separate frying pan, heat the remaining oil and brown the cubes of lamb on all sides ,then add the browned meat to the casserole dish.
    De-glaze the frying pan with ½ cup of water and add these juices to the casserole dish.
  5. Add the remaining tomato juice, chopped tomatoes, sweet potato, apricots, raisins, almonds, saffron, lamb stock, celery leaves and honey to the casserole dish.
    Bring to the boil, cover with a fitted lid, place in the oven and cook for 2-2½ hours or until the meat is meltingly tender.
  6. Sprinkle the chopped parsley on top and serve with brown rice or quinoa.