Zubereitung

1. 1

   Pat the lamb dry, trim off any thick fat and cut the meat into cubes of about 3 cm. Peel and finely dice the onions; peel and finely chop the garlic.

2. 2

   Heat the oil in a heavy pot and brown the lamb cubes well on all sides; if space is tight, do this in two batches so that the meat fries rather than stews.

3. 3

   Add the onions and fry, stirring, until soft and lightly golden.

4. 4

   Stir in the garlic, tomato paste and red pepper paste and toast, stirring, until the paste darkens and smells fragrant, without letting it burn.

5. 5

   Add the chopped tomatoes, water, cinnamon stick, salt, pepper and baharat and bring everything to the boil. Put the lid on and braise over a low heat, stirring now and then.

6. 6

   Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and cut them into cubes of about 2 cm. Add them to the stew and continue braising, covered, until the potatoes and meat are tender and the lamb can easily be pulled apart with a fork.

7. 7

   Remove the cinnamon stick. Season the stew with the lemon juice, salt and pepper; if the sauce is too thick, add a splash of hot water; if it is too thin, let it reduce uncovered for a few more minutes.

8. 8

   Pile the white rice onto plates or a platter and serve the hot stew with plenty of sauce over or beside it.

9. 9

   Tip: Instead of potatoes, peas often go into the pot, cooking for the last 10 minutes, and instead of lamb you can use beef shoulder, which braises for about 20 minutes longer. The stew is easy to make ahead and can be frozen for up to three months; the potatoes become a little softer in the process. Cool leftover rice quickly, put it in the fridge within two hours at the latest and use it up within a day.