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1
Brown the Lamb
15 Mins
Medium-high heat, ~190°C (375°F)
Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pot. Fry the lamb chunks in batches until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes, then lift them out and set aside.
Do not crowd the pot — the lamb steams instead of browning if the pieces touch.
Done when: The lamb is browned and the pot has a dark, sticky base.
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2
Build the Red Sauce
10 Mins
Medium heat, ~160°C (320°F)
In the same pot, fry the onion for 5 minutes until soft and golden. Stir in the garlic, turmeric, paprika, chilli powder, black pepper, fenugreek and cumin and fry for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and fry for 2 minutes more until it darkens to brick red.
Frying the tomato paste until it darkens is what gives the sauce its deep colour and removes any tinny taste.
Done when: The paste is dark red and the kitchen smells of warm spice.
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3
Simmer the Stew
60 Mins
Gentle simmer, ~95°C (203°F)
Return the lamb to the pot, add 1 litre of water and the salt, and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 45 minutes. Add the potatoes and simmer for 15 minutes more until the lamb is tender and the potatoes are soft.
Keep the simmer gentle — hard boiling toughens the lamb instead of tenderising it.
Done when: The lamb pulls apart easily and the sauce has thickened.
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4
Make the Barley Dough
20 Mins
Boiling water, 100°C (212°F)
While the stew simmers, bring 600 ml of salted water to a rolling boil in a separate pot. Sprinkle in the barley flour a little at a time, stirring hard with a wooden spoon or a magraf, until a stiff, smooth dough forms. Beat and fold the dough for 5 minutes until it is glossy and holds together.
The dough is very hot — work it with the spoon, not your hands, until it cools enough to touch.
Done when: The dough is smooth, firm and glossy, with no dry flour visible.
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5
Shape the Dome and Serve
10 Mins
Serve hot, ~70°C (158°F)
Wet your hands, shape the dough into a smooth dome, and set it in the middle of a wide, shallow bowl. Arrange the lamb, potatoes and peeled hard-boiled eggs around the dome and ladle the red sauce over and around it. Serve with lemon wedges and pickled chillies.
Wet hands stop the hot dough from sticking and give the dome a smooth finish.
Done when: The dome holds its shape, the stew is steaming, and the sauce glistens.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Set the warm barley dome in the middle of a wide, shallow bowl, arrange the lamb, potatoes and peeled eggs around it, and ladle the red sauce over and around the dome. Serve lemon wedges and pickled chillies on the side, and eat with the right hand, tearing off pieces of dough to scoop up the stew.
Libya
2h
France
Vietnam