Senegalese Lamb Curry

Instructions

1. Prepare the lamb
   Pat the lamb pieces dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of peanut oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the lamb on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per batch. Transfer browned meat to a plate and set aside.
2. Sauté the aromatics
   In the same pot, add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add the sliced onions and cook until softened and beginning to brown, about 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger, cooking for another minute until fragrant. Stir in the curry powder, cumin, and cayenne pepper, toasting the spices for 30 seconds.
3. Build the curry base
   Return the browned lamb to the pot along with any accumulated juices. Add the cinnamon stick, diced tomatoes with their juice, and stock. Stir to combine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
4. Add vegetables and peanut butter
   After the lamb has simmered for an hour, add the sweet potato chunks to the pot. In a small bowl, whisk the peanut butter with about 1/4 cup of the hot liquid from the pot until smooth, then stir this mixture back into the curry. Continue to simmer, covered, for another 30 minutes until the lamb is very tender and the sweet potatoes are cooked through.
5. Finish and serve
   Remove the cinnamon stick. Stir in the chopped cilantro and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. If the curry is too thick, add a little more stock or water. If it's too thin, simmer uncovered for a few more minutes. Serve hot over steamed rice, garnished with additional cilantro.