Red Cooked Lamb with Sweet Potatoes

A very tasty stew dish. Serves 8

1 teaspoon safflower or corn oil
8 green onions, cut into 1-inch sections
8 cloves garlic, minced
8 thin slices fresh ginger
2 3-inch cinnamon sticks
1 1/2 teaspoons hot chile paste
1 teaspoon aniseed (or fennel)
2 1/2 pounds lamb meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or sake
1 tablespoon sugar
5 cups water
4 sweet potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 pound fresh spinach, rinsed and drained

Heat a large heavy pot over high heat. Add oil and heat until hot. Add green onions, garlic, ginger, cinnamon sticks, chile paste and aniseed; stir-fry until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add lamb and brown. Add soy sauce, rice wine, sugar and water. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 1 hour.

Add sweet potatoes and continue to cook until they are tender, about 20 minutes. Discard the ginger slices and cinnamon sticks. Lightly mix in spinach; cover and cook until spinach has wilted, about 1 1/2 minutes.

265 calories per serving, 28 grams protein, 7 grams fat