Entree: Saudi Arabia – Najd – مرقوق ➤ Marqooq (A Najdi stew of meat and vegetables cooked with thin torn flatbread pieces in the broth)

Serving Size: 6

Approximate Time

Prep 30 min

Cook 1 hr 20 min

Additional 15 min

Total 1 hr 50 min

Ingredients

- 2 lb (900 g) lamb shoulder, cut into 1–1.5 inch pieces
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) ghee or vegetable oil
- 2 large onions, about 12 oz (340 g), thinly sliced
- 4 cloves (12 g) garlic, minced
- 2 medium tomatoes, about 12 oz (340 g), chopped
- 3 medium carrots, about 10 oz (285 g), sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
- 3 medium potatoes, about 1.5 lb (680 g), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 tsp (2 g) ground coriander
- 1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp (1 g) ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp (1 g) ground turmeric
- 1 1/2 tsp (8 g) salt, plus more to taste
- 2 bay leaves
- 8 cups (1.9 L) lamb or beef broth, or water with bouillon
- 1/4 cup (15 g) chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
- Dough for marqooq:
  - 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
  - 1 tsp (6 g) salt
  - 1 cup (240 ml) warm water, plus extra as needed
  - 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil

Instructions

1. Heat the ghee or oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the lamb pieces and brown on all sides, about 6–8 minutes. Remove and set aside.
2. In the same pot add the sliced onions and sauté until softened and lightly caramelized, about 6–8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
3. Return the lamb to the pot. Add the chopped tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, ground coriander, cumin, turmeric, black pepper, salt, and bay leaves. Pour in the broth to cover the ingredients and bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the meat and root vegetables are nearly tender.
5. While the stew simmers, make the dough: in a bowl combine the flour and 1 tsp salt. Stir in the warm water and 2 tbsp oil and knead briefly until a smooth, elastic dough forms, about 3–4 minutes. Cover and rest for 15 minutes.
6. Divide the dough into 4 pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece as thin as possible (paper-thin if achievable). Traditionally the dough is stretched and torn by hand; using a knife or scraper, cut or tear the thin dough into irregular 1–2 inch pieces or long strips.
7. When the stew is simmering and the meat is tender, add the dough pieces in batches to the pot, stirring to separate so they do not stick. Simmer uncovered for 12–20 minutes until the dough is cooked through and has absorbed some broth, stirring occasionally.
8. Adjust seasoning with additional salt if needed. Remove bay leaves. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot, ladling plenty of broth and marqooq pieces into each bowl.