Spiced Lamb Casserole with Thyme Dumplings

Ingredients

2 tbs olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2cm piece ginger, grated

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground cumin

2 tbs plain flour

1.2kg diced lamb shoulder or leg

2 carrots, peeled, cut into 4cm batons

2 tbs tomato paste

100ml red wine

1L (4 cups) lamb or beef stock

2 tbs quince paste*

2 tbs chopped flat-leaf parsley

Thyme dumplings

100g (2/3 cup) self-raising flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

25g unsalted butter, softened

1/2 small onion, finely chopped

1 tbs thyme leaves

2 tbs milk

Method

Preheat the oven to 170°C.

Heat half the oil in a large heavy-based casserole over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes or until starting to soften. Add garlic and ginger and fry for a few more seconds. Remove from pan.

Combine spices with flour in a bowl, then dust lamb with mixture to lightly coat, reserving remaining flour mixture. Add remaining oil to casserole, increase heat to high and cook lamb, in batches, until browned. Return all lamb and onion mixture to casserole and stir in remaining flour mixture. Add carrots, paste, wine, stock and enough water to cover. Bring to the boil, cover, transfer to oven and cook for 1 hour 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, for herb dumplings, sift flour and baking powder into a bowl and rub in butter until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in onion, thyme, salt and pepper. Add milk and bring mixture together using your hands, adding enough water to make a very soft dough.

Remove casserole from oven and increase temperature to 180°C. Stir quince paste into lamb, then gently drop tablespoonfuls of dumpling mixture into the casserole. Cover and return casserole to the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until dumplings are light and fluffy. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.