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

Ingredients

• 2 cups baby carrots 
• 15.5 ounce chickpeas drained canned (garbanzo beans)
• 1 stick cinnamon (3-inch)
• 0.5 cup figs dried halved
• 2 tablespoons mint leaves fresh chopped
• 5  garlic cloves minced
• 1 cup golden raisins 
• 0.3 teaspoon ground allspice 
• 0.5 teaspoon ground coriander 
• 0.5 teaspoon ground cumin 
• 0.5 teaspoon ground ginger 
• 0.1 teaspoon ground pepper red
• 1.5 pounds leg of lamb boneless cubed trimmed
• 14 ounce less-sodium beef broth canned
• 1 teaspoon olive oil 
• 4 cups onion separated sliced
• 0.3 teaspoon saffron threads crushed
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 1.8 cups water divided

Equipment

• frying pan
• dutch oven

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat; coat pan with cooking spray.
2. Add half of lamb; saut 8 minutes or until browned.
3. Remove from pan. Repeat procedure with remaining lamb. Return first batch of lamb to pan.
4. 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.
5. 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.