Entree: Yemen – سلتة ➤ salta (Yemeni lamb and potato stew with fenugreek foam and spicy salsa)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 25 min

Cook 1 hr 30 min

Total 1 hr 55 min

Ingredients

- 1.5 lb (680 g) lamb shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil or ghee
- 1 large onion, finely chopped (about 1.5 cups / 225 g)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (about 9 g)
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped (about 10 oz / 280 g)
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes (about 12 oz / 340 g)
- 4 cups (960 ml) beef or lamb stock (or water)
- 1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin
- 1 tsp (2 g) ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp (1 g) ground turmeric
- 1/2 tsp (2 g) ground black pepper
- Salt to taste
- 2 large eggs (optional, for serving)
- For the hulbah (fenugreek foam):
  - 2 tbsp (14 g) fenugreek seeds (hilbeh), soaked in warm water 2–4 hours then drained
  - 1/2 cup (120 ml) cool water (for whipping hulbah)
  - Pinch salt
- For sahawiq (Yemeni salsa):
  - 3 green or red chilies, stems removed (or 2 serranos + 1 mild), roughly chopped
  - 1 cup (30 g) fresh cilantro (coriander leaves)
  - 2 cloves garlic
  - 1/2 tsp (1 g) ground cumin
  - 1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice
  - 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
  - Salt to taste
- Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
- Flatbread (lahoh or pita) for serving (optional, not measured)

Instructions

1. Make the stew: Heat oil or ghee in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Brown the lamb pieces in batches, then return all meat to the pot and add chopped onion and garlic; sauté until translucent. Stir in chopped tomatoes, potatoes, cumin, coriander, turmeric, black pepper and salt. Pour in stock to barely cover, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook gently 60–90 minutes until lamb is very tender and potatoes are cooked, skimming fat as needed. If using eggs, crack them into the simmering stew during the last 6–8 minutes to poach, or serve boiled on the side.
2. Prepare hulbah and sahawiq, assemble and serve: For the hulbah, drain the soaked fenugreek seeds and blend with 1/2 cup (120 ml) cool water and a pinch of salt until smooth; transfer to a small bowl and whisk vigorously (or whip with a small blender) until it becomes light and frothy—set aside. For sahawiq, blitz chilies, cilantro, garlic, cumin, lemon juice, olive oil and salt in a blender or mortar to a coarse paste. To serve, ladle the hot stew into individual bowls or a communal pot, top each portion with a spoonful of hulbah (whipped fenugreek), a spoonful of sahawiq, a drizzle of oil or ghee and chopped cilantro; mix together at the table and eat with flatbread.