Lamb Stew with Pumpkin, Plantain, and Sweet Potato [1]

3 pounds lamb shoulder with bones

2-4 tablespoons olive oil

½ cup yellow onion, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon turmeric

6-8 cups water or broth

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

½ teaspoon dried thyme (optional)

½ teaspoon dried oregano (optional)

8 roasted garlic cloves or 4 raw garlic cloves

1 large sweet potato (skin removed), chopped into small chunks

1 large red potato, roughly chopped

1 ripe plantain, cut into bite-size pieces

2 cups seasoned, roasted pumpkin (alternatively, use pumpkin puree), roughly chopped

1 cup cooked chickpeas

1 bunch parsley or cilantro, roughly chopped

1

Before beginning this recipe, bring the meat to room temperature. This helps prevent the meat from tearing as it sautés
2

Salt and pepper the meat on both sides.
3

In a large, deep-bottomed pan or Dutch oven heat the oil. Add the meat and brown on each side, about 5 minutes each.
4

Remove the meat from the pot and add the onions. Add the turmeric and sauté the onions until translucent.
5

Return the meat to the pot and cover with water or broth. Add black pepper and other dried herbs, sweet potato, red potato and plantain. Bring to a boil.
6

Reduce heat and add the pumpkin pieces or pumpkin puree. Cover and cook for about 1 hour on medium heat.
7

Taste and adjust for seasoning, particularly salt (the meat was salted at the beginning and if you used the roasted pumpkin recipe this one links to, it will also contain salt). If using pumpkin puree instead of the seasoned roasted pumpkin, you may need to add a 1 teaspoon of dried mint.
8

Add the chickpeas and half of the cut parsley or cilantro. Blend well into the stew. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook for another hour or even longer (ideally, it should cook for at least four hours, but if you don’t have that kind of time, 2 hours is still sufficient).
9

Before serving, mix in a bit more chopped fresh parsley or cilantro and save a little more for the top.

Cooks Note

(Source)