Paleo Lamb Stew with Thai Spices

Ingredients

Sauté:
• 3 - 4 tablespoons olive or coconut oil
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 onion, sliced in thin half-moons
• 1 teaspoon unprocessed salt
• 1 pound grass-fed-grass-finished lamb stew meat, in 1-inch cubes
• 8 ounces mushrooms, preferably shiitake or maitake, sliced
• 4 stalks celery, diced
• Plenty of ground black pepper
Curry Spice Mix:
• 2 inches fresh ginger root, diced
• 2 inches fresh turmeric root, diced, or 2 teaspoons turmeric powder
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
• Pinch ground cloves
In the Soup Pot:
• 2 cups filtered water, or more as needed
• 1 organic bouillon cube, cut in pieces, optional
• 1 carrot, in bite-size chunks
• 1 sweet potato, in bite-size chunks, optional
Thicken:
• 1 cup coconut milk, preferably thick (I used Thai Kitchen organic canned)
• 3 tablespoons arrowroot powder
Garnish:
• 1/2 bunch cilantro leaves, chopped
• Handful fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1 teaspoon lemon or lime juice

Instructions

Sauté:
1. In a large skillet over medium heat, add oil, garlic and onion. Sauté until they begin to soften. Add salt as you go - the total amount will be about 1 teaspoon. Add lamb pieces, and brown briefly. Add sliced mushrooms and sauté until they begin to soften. Add celery and sauté briefly. Add plenty of black pepper to taste.
Curry Spice Mix:
2. Stir in the ginger root, turmeric, cumin, coriander, mustard, and cloves.
In the Soup Pot:
3. Meanwhile in a large stew pot with a thick bottom, add 2 cups filtered water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add carrot and sweet potato, if using. Simmer briefly until they just begin to soften.
4. Add the meat mixture from the skillet to the soup pot. Turn heat down to low and bring the entire mixture to a low boil. Add minimal water if needed - remember the coconut milk will provide more liquid.
5. In a small bowl, stir arrowroot powder into 1 cup coconut milk. Stir until it is completely dissolved. Stir this into the soup, which will thicken as it comes to a boil. Continue to simmer the stew on very low heat for an hour or more to allow the flavors to blend. Take care not to burn the bottom.
Garnish and Serve:
6. Season to taste. If it is too thick, add a bit of water. If too thin, you can use a fine gauge strainer to slowly sift arrowroot into the stew while stirring until you reach your desired thickness.
7. A few minutes before serving, stir in the basil, cilantro and lemon or lime juice. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve!