Arabic pepper lamb stew

Slow-braised lamb with black pepper and warm spices

Origin: Levant

From the journey of Black Pepper.

Arab culinary tradition uses pepper boldly (not as a single accent note but layered through dishes alongside allspice, cinnamon, and coriander, reflecting the Arab world's historical position at the centre of the global spice trade. For centuries, Arab merchants controlled the overland and sea routes between the pepper-producing Malabar Coast and the consuming markets of Europe and the Mediterranean, and Arab kitchens had access to the finest and freshest spices before anyone else. This lamb stew) known in various forms across the Levant, Iraq, and the Arabian Peninsula: represents this tradition directly: lamb braised slowly with black pepper at the fore, sweetened with a touch of cinnamon and allspice, finished with caramelised onions and pine nuts in the manner of Arab cooking since the medieval period. It draws on traditions documented in 13th-century Arabic culinary manuscripts like the Baghdadi Kitab al-Tabikh.

Ingredients

Main

800 g lamb shoulder or neck, bone-in, cut into large pieces

Spices

1.5 tsp black pepper, coarsely ground, plus extra to finish
0.5 tsp allspice, ground
0.25 tsp cinnamon, ground
0.25 tsp turmeric

Aromatics

2 large onions, thinly sliced
4 piece garlic cloves, sliced
2 piece tomatoes, chopped

Liquid

400 ml lamb or chicken stock

Cooking

3 tbsp ghee or olive oil

Seasoning

1 tsp salt

Garnish

3 tbsp pine nuts, toasted in butter
1 small handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Method

Heat 2 tablespoons ghee in a wide, heavy pot over high heat. Season the lamb pieces with salt, pepper, allspice, cinnamon, and turmeric. Brown the lamb in batches on all sides, 3–4 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
Add the remaining ghee to the same pot. Add the sliced onions and cook over medium heat, stirring regularly, for 15–20 minutes until deeply golden and sweet.
Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes until they collapse and the oil begins to separate.
Return the browned lamb to the pot. Add the stock. It should come at least halfway up the lamb. Bring to a boil, skim the foam, then reduce heat to a very gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 1 hour 30 minutes, turning the lamb once halfway through.
Uncover and cheque: the lamb should be tender enough to pull apart with a spoon, and the sauce should have reduced to a rich, dark gravy. If the sauce is still thin, simmer uncovered for a further 10–15 minutes.
Taste and adjust pepper and salt. Serve garnished with toasted pine nuts and chopped parsley.

Notes

Serve over rice pilaf (ideally vermicelli rice) or with flatbread to soak up the gravy. A spoonful of plain yogurt alongside cuts through the richness of the lamb. This dish holds and reheats beautifully.

The Gastrographer

Name: Arabic pepper lamb stew
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 45 min
Total time: 2 h 5 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Levant
Ingredients: 800 g lamb shoulder or neck, bone-in, cut into large pieces; 1.5 tsp black pepper, coarsely ground, plus extra to finish; 0.5 tsp allspice, ground; 0.25 tsp cinnamon, ground; 0.25 tsp turmeric; 2 large onions, thinly sliced; 4 piece garlic cloves, sliced; 2 piece tomatoes, chopped; 400 ml lamb or chicken stock; 3 tbsp ghee or olive oil; 1 tsp salt; 3 tbsp pine nuts, toasted in butter; 1 small handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped

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Journey Point Map Key

Ingredient originTrade or transit route

Became a culinary stapleColonial / trade control