This spicy, aromatic lamb stew is inspired by a traditional Moroccan meat-and-vegetable tagine called mrouzia, a sweet and rich celebratory stew that is prepared in the days following Eid al-Adha, or the Feast of Sacrifice, and sweetened with raisins, honey, and spice.
In this stew recipe, the sweetness is scaled back, and tomato and carrots are added for a balance of acidity and brightness. The raisins are replaced by dried apricots, which are earthy, less sweet, and provide a pleasant tartness. The spice list is an extreme abbreviation of ras el hanout, which is a North African staple blend comprising a lengthy list of spices—upward of 20! This recipe features a short list that shouldn’t tax your spice cabinet and will drive in fragrance and flavor without sending you on a shopping expedition.
