Iraqi Lamb Tashreeb

Name: Iraqi Lamb Tashreeb
Prep time: 23 min
Cook time: 2 h 4 min
Total time: 2 h 27 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Iraqi
Ingredients: 2 lb (900 g) boneless lamb shoulder, trimmed of thick fat, cut into 1½-inch (4 cm) cubes, patted dry; 2½ tsp (15 g) fine sea salt, divided, plus more to taste; ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 1 tbsp (7 g) baharat (Arabic seven-spice blend), divided: 1 tsp for the lamb, the rest for the stew; 3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil or ghee; 2 large (400 g) yellow onions, peeled and finely diced; 5 cloves (15 g) garlic cloves, minced; 2 tbsp (32 g) tomato paste; 1 tsp (3 g) ground turmeric; 1 stick (3 inch) (4 g) cinnamon stick; 4 medium (600 g) ripe tomatoes, cored and chopped into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces; 1 whole (10 g) dried black lime (loomi), pierced a few times with a knife tip (optional); 6 cups (1400 ml) water; 1 can (15 oz) (425 g) canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed; 1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice, freshly squeezed; 4 rounds (8-inch) (320 g) flatbread (pita or Iraqi samoon), torn into 1½-inch (4 cm) pieces; 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil, for tossing the bread; ½ cup (20 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped; ½ small (50 g) red onion, very thinly sliced (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A comforting Iraqi stew of tender lamb, tomatoes and chickpeas simmered in a fragrant baharat broth, ladled over toasted flatbread that soaks up every drop.

Prep: 23 min
Cook: 2 hr 4 min
Wait: 2 min
Total: 2 hr 29 min
Makes: 6 generous bowls (about 10 cups / 2.4 L stew with bread)

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the stew
2 lb (900 g) boneless lamb shoulder, trimmed of thick fat, cut into 1½-inch (4 cm) cubes, patted dry
2½ tsp (15 g) fine sea salt, divided, plus more to taste
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
1 tbsp (7 g) baharat (Arabic seven-spice blend), divided: 1 tsp for the lamb, the rest for the stew
3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil or ghee
2 large (400 g) yellow onions, peeled and finely diced
5 cloves (15 g) garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp (32 g) tomato paste
1 tsp (3 g) ground turmeric
1 stick (3 inch) (4 g) cinnamon stick
4 medium (600 g) ripe tomatoes, cored and chopped into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces
1 whole (10 g) dried black lime (loomi), pierced a few times with a knife tip (optional)
6 cups (1400 ml) water
1 can (15 oz) (425 g) canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice, freshly squeezed
For the bread and garnish
4 rounds (8-inch) (320 g) flatbread (pita or Iraqi samoon), torn into 1½-inch (4 cm) pieces
1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil, for tossing the bread
½ cup (20 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped
½ small (50 g) red onion, very thinly sliced (optional)

Equipment (5)

5- to 6-quart (4.7–5.7 L) Dutch oven or heavy pot with lid
Large rimmed baking sheet
Slotted spoon and ladle
6 wide shallow soup bowls
Chef's knife and cutting board

Steps

Before you start

Cut the lamb into 1½-inch (4 cm) cubes and pat very dry with paper towels so it browns instead of steams.
Use day-old or slightly stale flatbread if you have it; fresh bread works too because you toast it.
Baharat blends vary in saltiness and heat, so taste the broth before the final salt adjustment.
The stew needs about 1½ hours of mostly unattended simmering, so plan to serve about 2½ hours from starting.

1
Prep and season lamb
- Dice the onions, mince the garlic, chop the tomatoes, tear the flatbread and chop the parsley.
- Place the dry lamb cubes in a bowl and toss with 1 teaspoon of the salt, the black pepper and 1 teaspoon of the baharat until evenly coated.
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Ready when: Lamb is evenly coated with spices and no wet patches remain on the surface.
Tip: Dry meat is the secret to good browning; blot again if any liquid pooled in the bowl.
2
Brown the lamb
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Brown the lamb in 3 batches, leaving space between cubes, for about 4 minutes per batch, turning once or twice.
- Transfer each batch to a plate.
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Ready when: All sides are deep golden brown and the pot bottom has a brown fond, not black.
Tip: Crowding the pot makes the lamb steam and turn grey. Work in batches.
3
Soften the onions
- Reduce heat to medium.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and the diced onions with ½ teaspoon salt.
- Cook, stirring and scraping up the browned bits, for 8 minutes.
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Ready when: Onions are soft, translucent and lightly golden at the edges.
Tip: If the bottom starts to scorch, splash in 2 tablespoons of water and keep scraping.
4
Bloom garlic and spices
- Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, turmeric, cinnamon stick and the remaining 2 teaspoons baharat.
- Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes.
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Ready when: The paste darkens to brick red and the pot smells strongly of warm spices.
Tip: Keep stirring so the garlic and spices don't burn and turn bitter.
5
Cook down tomatoes
- Add the chopped tomatoes and cook, stirring often and mashing them lightly with your spoon, for 6 minutes.
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Ready when: Tomatoes have broken down into a thick, jammy sauce with oil starting to pool at the edges.
6
Simmer until tender
- Return the lamb and its juices to the pot.
- Add the water and the pierced dried lime, if using.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, skim off any grey foam, then reduce to low, cover with the lid slightly ajar and simmer 75 minutes, stirring once or twice.
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Ready when: A lamb cube yields easily when pressed with a spoon and shreds with little resistance (about 195°F / 90°C inside).
Tip: Keep the simmer barely bubbling; hard boiling makes lamb tough and the broth cloudy.
7
Toast the breadOven 375°F / 190°C
- About 10 minutes before the stew finishes, heat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Toss the torn flatbread with 1 tablespoon olive oil on a baking sheet, spread in a single layer and bake 8 to 10 minutes, stirring once.
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Ready when: Pieces are golden brown and crisp at the edges, firm when tapped.
Tip: Toasted bread holds its shape in the broth instead of dissolving into paste.
8
Add chickpeas and finish
- Remove the cinnamon stick and dried lime.
- Stir in the chickpeas and simmer uncovered over medium-low heat for 15 minutes.
- Stir in the lemon juice, then taste and add more salt, about ½ to 1 teaspoon, if needed.
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Ready when: Broth is rich and slightly thickened, with chickpeas soft and well seasoned.
Tip: Salt at the end; the broth reduces and baharat blends vary in saltiness.
9
Assemble and serve
- Divide the toasted bread among 6 wide bowls.
- Ladle about 1 cup of hot broth over each and let it soak for 2 minutes.
- Top with lamb, chickpeas and extra broth, then scatter with parsley and red onion, if using.
- Serve immediately.
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Ready when: Bread is softened on the outside but still has some bite in the center.
Tip: Assemble each bowl just before serving so the bread doesn't turn mushy.

Good to know

Tips

Brown the lamb in batches; the browned fond builds most of the stew's depth.
Pierced dried lime adds a tangy, earthy note, but remove it before serving as it can turn bitter if left in.
Chill the stew and lift off the fat from the top if you want a lighter broth.
Serve with pickled turnips, a squeeze of lemon or a green chili on the side.

Make ahead

"Make the stew through step 8 up to 2 days ahead; cool and refrigerate. Reheat gently on the stove, then toast the bread and assemble fresh."

Storage & reheating

"Store the stew without bread in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat over medium-low heat until steaming, adding a splash of water if thick. Keep toasted bread in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days and re-crisp in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5 minutes. Don't store assembled bowls."

Substitutions

boneless lamb shoulder → bone-in lamb shanks or beef chuck. Bone-in shanks (about 1.4 kg / 3 lb) add body; beef chuck cubes need about the same simmer time.
baharat (Arabic seven-spice blend) → 1 tsp ground allspice, ½ tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp cumin, ½ tsp coriander and ¼ tsp nutmeg. Approximates the blend if you can't find baharat.
ripe tomatoes → 1 can (14 oz / 400 g) crushed tomatoes. Good in winter when fresh tomatoes are pale; use as a one-to-one replacement for the fresh.
flatbread (pita or Iraqi samoon) → day-old naan or sturdy sandwich bread. Toast until fully crisp so it holds up to the broth.