Lamb Stew with Pomegranate Molasses
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cup Snowcrest Pomegranate Arils - 2 cup juiced/ 1/2 cup for garnish
- 1½ pounds (750g) lamb , boneless, or bone in cubed
- 2 tbsp (16g) plain flour
- 2 tbsp (1 oz) olive oil
- 1 red onion , peeled and finely chopped
- 4 sticks celery , trimmed and finely sliced
- 3 cloves garlic , peeled and finely sliced
- 100 g walnuts , chopped
- ½ stick cinnamon
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 Tbsp turmeric
- 2 cardamom pods
- 1/4 cup pom molasses (pomegranate molasses recipe)
- 1 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley
- sea salt & pepper to taste
Directions
1. Cut the lamb into thumb-sized cubes. Season the flour with sea salt and black pepper. Toss the lamb cubes in the seasoned flour.
2. Heat a large pan and pour in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When the oil is hot, add as many lamb pieces as will fit in one layer, cover with a lid and cook for a few minutes until soft and browned evenly. Remove from the pan, then repeat with the remaining cubes until they are all browned. Return all the lamb to the pan and turn the heat down.
3. Add the onion, celery, garlic, cinnamon, walnuts, turmeric, cardamom and bay leaves to the pan. Put the lid back on and cook very gently for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan, until the onion is softened.
4. Defrost Pomegranate Arils and blend in a high speed blender with 1/2 cup water to separate the fruit from the seeds, strain Youku should end up with about 500ml of juice. Stir the juice into the lamb and top up with water to cover. Simmer very gently for 1½ hours, or until the lamb is tender, adding a little water now and then if the stew gets dry.
5. Remove and discard the cinnamon stick, cardamom and bay leaves. Stir in 1/2 cup of pomegranate Molasses, season to taste and sprinkle with the parsley and reserved pomegranate seeds.
Serve with basmati rice.