Yemenite beef stew
INGREDIENTS:
1 kg beef
2 onion heads
4 garlic cloves
2 tomatoes
3 tablespoons hawaij (Yemeni spice mix, you can find the ingredients below)
7-8 potatoes
salt
sunflower or olive oil
For hawaij (Yemeni spice mix):
3 tablespoons ground black pepper
3 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon ground cloves
fresh coriander or parsley for sprinkling
PREPARATION:
Hawaij spice mix
Mix all the ingredients and stir so that they combine.
Wash the meat, dry it using kitchen paper and cut it into 2-3 cm thick pieces. Peel and cut the onion and garlic info small pieces. Wash the tomatoes and make small cuts into each tomato with a knife so that they can release their smell and flavor during the cooking.
Heat several spoons of sunflower oil in a cooking pot and add the beef. Cook over high heat until the meat browns from all sides. Season with salt and remove the meat from the cooking pot. Lower the heat and add the garlic and onion. Cook over medium heat until the onion softens. Add the hawaij mix and return the meat to the cooking pot. Stir for several minutes until you can smell the spices. Add about a liter and a half of water. Season with salt, add the tomatoes and once it is brought to a boil lower the heat and cook with a lid on it for about 2 hours with an occasional stir. If needed you can add more water and salt.
Meanwhile peel the potatoes and cut them into big cubes. Once the 2 hours have passed remove the tomatoes and add the potatoes. Continue cooking for another 35-45 minutes or until the potatoes soften. Add salt if needed and serve the dish sprinkled with finely cut fresh coriander or parsley.
On the photo below the dish is served with a Yemeni bread called ka’ak. Click HERE for the recipe.
