Coconut Thai Beef Stew

This is an adaption to a recipe that was in the Deseret News yesterday Oct. 13, 2010. 

1 cup of onion chopped
5 minced cloves of garlic (or 5 Tbsp pre-minced garlic)
1 Tbsp ginger
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp tumeric
salt and pepper

2 lbs beef steak cut into chunks
1 can (13-14 oz) lite coconut milk
1 tsp lime peel zest
2 Tbsp lime juice
1/4 cup brown sugar
bay leaves
1-2 cups baby carrots
2 cups chopped potato (I didn't do this but thought after the fact it would be a good addition)

rice or rice noodles
chopped peanuts (optional to top)
lime wedges
coconut (optional to top)

Heat some veg. oil in a skillet and sautee onions for 5 minutes.  Add in garlic and seasonings (ginger, coriander, cumin, tumeric, salt and pepper).  Cook about a minute, until fragerant and transfer to a bowel.  Sautee beef until cooked through adding more oil as needed.  Add in onion/spice/garlic mix and beef into a stock pot.  Pour in coconut milk, lime juice, lime zest, brown sugar, a few bay leaves, and carrots/potatoes.  Bring the mixture to a simmer and simmer on low heat until slightly thickened and carrots and beef is tender (approx 30 minutes).  Serve over rice and garnish with peanuts, lime, and coconut.