Slow Cooker Beef Tagine

For the Beef Tagine

• 900 g (2 pounds) diced beef I used shin of beef
• 2 Red Onions , finely diced
• 3 carrots , peeled and diced
• 3 garlic cloves , minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger , grated
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• 10 dried apricots , finely diced
• 5 dates roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp brown sugar or Sukrin Gold sweetener (optional)
• ½ lemon , juice only
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 400 g (14 oz) canned chopped tomatoes
• 400 g (14 oz) canned chickpeas drained and rinsed
• ½ cinnamon stick or small piece cassia bark
• 1 beef stock cube crumbled (or use beef bouillon / stockpot)
• 1 bay leaf
• 80 ml (⅓ cup) water

To Serve

• 3 tbsp flaked almonds to garnish
• fresh coriander (cilantro) to garnish
• grated lemon zest