This braised beef dish is rich and luscious. It has the contrasting flavours of savoury and sweet. It has the aromatic spicing of cumin, paprika and cinnamon. I serve it with mashed potatoes or noodles and one colourful veg. A little of it goes a long way. Stewing beef is available in most supermarkets or you can cut chuck roast in big cubes. Do not overcrowd the beef cubes when browning.  

About 3½ lb to 4 lb/2 kg stewing beef or chuck roast cubes
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp butter
3 cups chopped onions (2 medium onions)
2 large carrots, peeled, cut in big chunks
1 tsp each: paprika, ground cumin and cinnamon
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup dry red wine
2 cups beef stock (homemade or storebought)
12 prunes
12 dried apricots

Preheat oven to 325F.

Pat beef dry with paper towel; sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large heavy saucepan of Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add beef in batches in single layer (not too close to each other) and sear, turning once, until browned. Transfer to large bowl.

Add butter to saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onions, carrots, paprika, cumin, cinnamon and tomato paste; cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes. Add flour; cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes. Add red wine and beef stock, scraping browned bits from bottom of saucepan. Return browned beef and juices to saucepan. Stir in prunes and apricots.

Cover and transfer to oven. Bake 2½ to 3 hours or until beef is fork-tender. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

Makes about 8 servings.