Fragrant Lamb Tagine

The Story
My family is a real melting pot of cultures. My mum was born in Vietnam from a French mum and a Vietnamese dad then travelled across Africa as a kid before landing in Tunisia as a teen, where she met my dad. My dad was at the time a French ex-pat, born in Tunisia. They subsequently got married and settled back in France before my brother and I were born. We are all avid cooks and food lovers, and this is a recipe from my family cookbook. I wouldn't describe it as traditional Tunisian, but more of as a fusion of multiple influences, but certainly loved and improved over the years! Visit www.preppedfresh.com.au for more.

Fragrant Lamb Tagine

This authentic lamb tagine is vibrant, colorful, and an absolute show stopper. Its warming mix of spices and the addition of dried apricot and honey gives it both sweetness and zestiness. For more intense flavors, marinate the meat the day before and cook it slowly for at least 2 hours.
Servings 6
Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 2 hrs

Ingredients

  • 600 g lamb leg or shoulder, diced
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 4 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
  • 3 medium onions, roughly chopped
  • 1 medium red chili, seeded and chopped
  • 1 bunch coriander, chopped
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 6 small chat potatoes, peeled and cut in half
  • 4 medium vine-ripened tomatoes, thickly sliced
  • 75 g dried apricots
  • 2 tbs clear honey
  • 3 medium bay leaves
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 2 cup couscous
  • 4 tbs Greek yogurt

Instructions

  • Place the ground ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, paprika, and chili powder into a bowl and mix together. Season the lamb shanks with a splash of olive oil, a good pinch of salt, freshly ground black pepper, and rub in the spice mix. Set aside for at least 2 hours or overnight in the fridge if you can.
  • Preheat the oven to 150 degrees. Place the garlic cloves, coriander stalks (save the leaves), 2 onions, and 2/3 of the red chili in a blender or food processor and blend to a smooth paste.
  • Heat olive oil in a large frying pan, add lamb pieces to brown and set aside. Add the spice paste to the remaining oil and fry gently for 3 minutes.
  • Add carrots, the remaining onion, potatoes, tomatoes, apricots, and turn over a few times in the spice mixture. Season with Salt and pepper.
  • Transfer the mixture to a Tagine dish if you have one or a large airtight and ovenproof dish. Place the lamb on top, add the bay leaves, honey, and enough stock to almost cover the meat. Cook in the oven for 2 hours.
  • Serve with couscous and sprinkle with coriander leaves, red chili, and a dollop of Greek yogurt.