Moroccan-style Lamb Stew

This might be my favorite stew at the moment! This lamb stew recipe is inspired by a traditional Morrocan lamb tajin, but not cooked in the traditional way. This dish is mainly defined by the lovely ras el hanout spice mix, paired with the lamb meat and the sweet dried apricots. The traditional versions top their tajin with chopped cilantro and almonds, but I like adding more vegetables and a refreshing yogurt mint sauce.

As I just mentioned, the heart and soul of this dish is the spice blend. If you don't have time or are not an experienced home cook, feel free to buy a storebought ras el hanout or tajin spice blend. You will still get a lovely result, but creating your own mix will elevate this stew to the next level! Especially if you buy all these spices whole and toast and grind them up yourself. This recipe will take you about two hours and will serve approximately 8 portions, so it's perfect for meal-prepping or dinner parties. If you try this recipe, let us know what you think!

Step 1
Start with cleaning and chopping the meat. you want to get rid of overly fatty pieces and cut them into 2cm chunks. Season this with salt and pepper and sear them over medium-high heat in a splash of neutral cooking oil. When golden brown, set aside.

‍Step 2
Now add the onions to the same pot on medium heat with a little splash of extra oli. Sautee for two minutes and add the ginger, ¾ of your minced garlic, and the dried/ground spices. Fry everything for about 1 more minute and add the tomato puree. After 2 minutes you can add your chicken stock and make sure it gets up to temperature. 

‍Step 3
Preheat your oven to 160 degrees Celcius. When your chicken stock is hot (but not boiling heavily) add your lamb chunks. get this to a light simmer, cover with a lid, and put in the oven for about 1 hour. 

‍Step 4
In the meantime, mix your yogurt, with ¼ of your minced garlic and finely chopped mint leaves in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper and put in the fridge until serving the dish. 

‍Step 5
After 1 hour, we remove the pan from the oven and add the carrot, eggplant, dried apricots, chickpeas, and bell peppers. Put back into the oven with the lid on for about 45 more minutes or until the meat is fork-tender. In the meantime, you can prepare your couscous or rice according to the package instructions

‍Step 6
When your meat is nice and fork-tender, let the stew rest on your counter for about 10 minutes and then it is time to plate! Serve with couscous, freshly chopped cilantro, pomegranate seeds, and a big scoop of the yogurt mint sauce on the side. Enjoy!