Entree: Iraq – Marsh Arab Cuisine – مخلّمة ➤ Makhlama (A hearty skillet of spiced lamb and tomatoes cooked with eggs, a traditional Marsh Arab meat-and-egg dish)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 15 min

Cook 50 min

Total 1 hr 5 min

Ingredients

- 1 lb (454 g) boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp (5 g) ground cumin
- 1 tsp (5 g) ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 g) ground turmeric
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 g) crushed red pepper or Aleppo pepper (optional)
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped (about 10 oz / 280 g)
- 2 tbsp (30 g) tomato paste
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) water or low-sodium broth
- 1 tsp (5 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 g) freshly ground black pepper
- 4 large eggs, approx. 2 oz (57 g) each
- 1/4 cup (15 g) chopped flat-leaf parsley
- Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tbsp / 30 ml)
- Warm flatbread or rice for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet or shallow pot over medium-high heat. Season the lamb pieces with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper; brown the lamb in batches until well seared, about 4–5 minutes per batch. Remove and set aside.
2. Reduce heat to medium, add the sliced onion to the same pan and cook until softened and beginning to caramelize, about 6–8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
3. Stir in the cumin, coriander, turmeric, and crushed red pepper and toast for 30 seconds. Add the chopped tomatoes and tomato paste, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
4. Return the browned lamb to the pan, add the water or broth, cover, and simmer gently until the lamb is tender, about 35–45 minutes. Check and add more liquid if the mixture becomes too dry.
5. Adjust seasoning with remaining salt and pepper and the lemon juice. If the sauce is too thin, remove the lid and simmer a few minutes to reduce; if too thick, add a splash of water.
6. Make four shallow wells in the sauce and crack one egg into each well. Cover the pan and cook over low heat until the eggs are set to your liking, 5–8 minutes for medium-set yolks.
7. Sprinkle the chopped parsley over the top and drizzle a little extra olive oil if desired. Taste and adjust seasoning.
8. Serve directly from the skillet with warm flatbread or steamed rice to scoop up the meat and runny yolks.