Fahad Inc. Dishes: Meat Stew

Fahad Inc. Dishes

La-ham murraq / saloona ~ Meat Stew

Serves 8

Like chicken and fish saloona this is very common throughout the UAE, indeed in some homes it is cooked twice a day. Because it can be accompanied by so many other things - rice, biryani or bread for example, it is a flexible dish.

A daily cooked Ramadan dish, it is popular for sending into the Mosques during the holy month as it is filling and nutritious. It is also one of the most famous Bedouin dishes.

Serve with dishes of sliced limes, dates, radishes, garlic chives, sliced white onion and buttermilk.

2 lbs (950gms) lamb shoulder
4 large onions
1 tablespoon bezar
1 teaspoon turmeric
4 potatoes
3 carrots
1/2 cup corn oil
3 cloves garlic (crushed)
3 large tomatoes
2 sticks cinnamon bark
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 whole dry loomi
salt to taste
2 meat stock cubes (optional)
22 cups water

Clean lamb and cut into 3" (7.5cms) pieces with bone still in. Boil lamb in 10 cups of water in a large pan. Lower heat and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, peel potatoes and cut into quarters, slice the carrots and chop tomatoes and onions.
Drain meat and discard the juice. Pour oil into the pan and fry the onions until lightly brown, then add garlic and spices. Add the meat, stir to mix well with the onions then add remaining ingredients. Add 12 cups of water - the meat stock cubes can be added at this stage for extra flavour. Taste for salt. Boil gently until meat is tender, usually just over an hour. Remove cinnamon bark when done and serve hot.