Middle Eastern Slow-Cooked Stew with Lamb, Chickpeas, and Figs

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• Cooking spray
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless leg of lamb, trimmed and cubed
• 4 cups onion, sliced and separated into rings
• 1 3/4 cups water, divided
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
• 1 (14-ounce) can less-sodium beef broth
• 1 (15 1/2-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
• 2 cups baby carrots
• 1 cup golden raisins
• 1/2 cup dried figs, halved
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
• 1 teaspoon salt

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat; coat pan with cooking spray. Add half of lamb; sauté 8 minutes or until browned. Remove from pan. Repeat procedure with remaining lamb. Return first batch of lamb to pan. Add onion, 1/4 cup water, and garlic to pan; cook 4 1/2 minutes or until lightly browned, scraping the pan to loosen browned bits. Add cumin, coriander, ginger, saffron, allspice, pepper, and cinnamon; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in broth and 1 1/2 cups water; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour. Stir in chickpeas, carrots, raisins, and figs; cover and simmer 20 minutes or until carrots are tender. Stir in mint and salt.