Passover is the holiday I plan for all year long, partially because I hate it so much. I loathe giving up my beloved bread and pastry for an entire week, though usually my thighs thank me for the brief respite. Nevertheless I seek inspiration everywhere: in cookbooks, online and out and about when I am eating.
This recipe was inspired by a dish my husband and I ate in Los Angeles back in December at a downtown restaurant called The Industriel. I have never been much of a quinoa fan, but when I tasted their braised lamb served with rich walnut-quinoa porridge cooked in milk, I knew I had to try and make a version for myself. Cooking the quinoa in coconut milk adds a richness and heartiness to the quinoa that I really enjoyed, and it was almost like I was eating rice or pasta with my stew. Almost.
If you aren’t a fan of Indian spices, you could also try a more Middle Eastern flare my replacing the masala with Ras-el-hanout or harissa, which would also pair nicely with the creamy coconut quinoa. And despite my kvetching over the lack of carbs, this dish is absolutely delish, Passover or not.
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Ingredients
For the stew:
- 2 ½ lbs lamb stew meat
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
- 1 large onion
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 small jalapeno
- 2 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
- 1 Tbsp garam masala spice mix*
- 1 ½ quarts chicken, beef or vegetable stock
- 1 ½ cups orange or pineapple juice
- Fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)
For the coconut quinoa:
- 1 ½ cups quinoa
- 1 ½ 13.5 oz cans light coconut milk plus extra
- Water
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
*To make your own garam masala spice mix:
- A 1-inch piece cinnamon stick, broken into pieces
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/4 cup cumin seeds
- 1/3 cup coriander seeds
- 1 Tbsp green cardamom pods
- 1 Tbsp whole black peppercorns
- 2 tsps whole cloves
- 1 dried red chile
- 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
Directions
To make the stew:
- Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat.
- Sprinkle lamb liberally with salt and pepper. Sear lamb in batches on each side until golden brown. Set aside. Reduce heat to medium.
- Sauté onions in remaining lamb fat, scraping brown bits from the bottom. Cook until translucent, 5-6 minutes. Add jalapeno and ginger and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and garam masala. Cook until fragrant.
- Add stock and bring to a boil. Scrape any additional bits from the bottom of the pan while coming to a boil.
- Add lamb and reduce heat to medium-low heat (simmer). Cook for 1 ½-2 hours, stirring occasionally. If liquid has reduced too much, add more stock or water.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
To make the coconut quinoa:
- Heat olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Toast the quinoa until lightly browned, around 5 minutes.
- Add the 1 ½ cans of coconut milk plus water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cover pot. Cook 20-25 minutes. Allow to sit 10 minutes and fluff with a fork. Add an extra 2 Tbsp coconut milk plus salt and pepper to taste and mix.
- Heat all spices except nutmeg in a medium skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often, until the cumin becomes brown, 2 1/2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a spice grinder or coffee mill, add the nutmeg and grind until it’s a fine powder. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 months.
