Ingredients
- 2.5 lbs. Lava Lake Lamb stew meat, or one shoulder
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 sweet potato or yam, peeled, in ½ inch cubes
- 1 12-oz. can garbanzo beans
- 6 C chicken or beef stock
- 1 inch piece of ginger, minced
- 1 T coriander (ground)
- ½ T chili powder
- ½ T paprika
- ½ T pepper
- 1 T salt (kosher or sea salt)
- ½ T ginger, ground
- 1 tsp cayenne
- ¼ C orange juice
- ¼ C white wine
- 2 T lime juice
- Oil for sautéing
- Plain yogurt with mint to garnish
- Pita Bread
Directions
Mix all of the dry spices together in a bowl. If using shoulder, cut it down into ¾ to 1 inch chunks, removing excessive fat.In another bowl, mix the chunks of meat with ½ of your spice blend. Let this sit for a few minutes while you cut up the veggies or ginger.
In a large stock pot or Dutch oven type pot that will hold at least a gallon, heat enough canola oil to cover the bottom of the pot over high heat. When the surface of the oil begins to shimmer, add the lamb, spread out so that it is only one layer deep. You may have to do this in batches, depending on your pot. Sear the lamb and stir occasionally till well browned, When all of your lamb is browned, add a touch more oil (your pot will be pretty dry), stir in the remaining spices, the ginger, the onion and the sweet potato. Stir and cook until the onion is translucent and most of the moisture has evaporated. Add the wine and orange juice and stir occasionally till this is almost evaporated as well. Add the stock. Continue to heat till the whole thing reaches a simmer, then reduce the heat as low as possible and cover. Cook for about 1 hour stirring from time to time. Now add the garbanzo beans, and continue to cook over low heat stirring occasionally. When the lamb is very tender (1.5 to 2 hours total cook time), add the lime juice and adjust the seasoning.
I like to smash some of the sweet potatoes against the side of the pot to thicken the broth slightly. Serve this stew with yogurt and mint with grilled pita bread. This is a dish that could easily be adapted to a crock pot and is even better the next day.