Nothing says happiness in winter like a rich and healthy stew or casserole cooked in a traditional Tagine. It’s been said that the flavours and nutrition skyrocket in this age old cooking vessel, not to mention it’s aesthetically exciting appearance on your stove! Wow your guests or warm your strong solitude with this beautiful recipe from our own Angela Warburton; skilled doctor of Chinese medicine AND chef extraordinaire (really, her cooking is a revelation)! You’re guaranteed to enjoy the experience!
4 tbsp olive oil
2 kg boneless lamb shoulder trimmed and cubed
2 onions
3 garlic cloves thinly sliced
3 tbsps chopped coriander
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp ground almonds
1 orange
500 ml chicken bone broth
5 pitted dates
Fresh coriander
Brown lamb in batches over his heat. Season each batch lightly with salt and pepper and transfer to a bowl after each done
Sautee onions and garlic over medium heat for about 6-7 minutes until softened. Stair in coriander (ground and chopped), cumin, cinnamon, turmeric, ginger and cayenne powder and cook for 5-6 minutes.
Add the lamb/meat back in and stir through the ground almonds.
Grate the zest from the orange and squeeze out the juice.
Add both to the lamb and stir in the stock.
Bring to the boil and then lower the heat
Cover and put in the oven for 2 hours
Add 4 dates and put back in the oven for 20 more minutes. Leave lid off if the sauce needs to thicken.
Garnish with fresh coriander and slivered almonds
This can easily be adapted to a vegetarian or vegan diet by just adding more vegetable and using things such a sweet potato, squash or Chinese yam about 3/4 of the way through and then serve over a bed of fresh greens to add some more nutrients to the mix. I like to serve it over a bed of greens or add some greens in at the very end once you’ve removed it from the heat.