The inspiration for this North African style stew came from browsing Wikipedia for North African dishes. I pretty much started with their entry for Chakhchoukha (the picture of the dish captivated me) and worked backwards.

Chakhchoukha is a stew of chickpeas, lamb and seasonal vegetables. It is beefed up with pieces of torn semolina flatbread. The flat bread pieces are added to the bowl and the stew ladled on top. They soak up the sauces in the most amazing way as you eat them during the meal. Then extra flat bread can be used to clean the bowl of every last bit of the amazing sauce.

I have to mention the spices in the Moroccan spice blend. They alone have me wanting to eat my way across North Africa. The blend I used was a mixture of paprika, turmeric, cumin, salt, nutmeg, cloves and chili. It smells similar to garam masala.

Dietary Note: Substitute the lamb with potatoes and or mushrooms to make a vegetarian version.

Steps

1. Cooking the ingredients
2. Simmering the stew and making flatbread
3. Serving

Ingredients

• 700g lamb shoulder cubed
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp chili powder (I used Kashmiri)
• 1 tsp Moroccan spice mix
• 1 large brown onion, diced
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 1 zucchini, sliced
• 400g tomatoes (canned)
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste
• 800g chickpeas (canned)
• Water, enough to cover the rest of the ingredients
• Table salt to taste
• Black peppercorns to taste, cracked
• 1 -2 Semolina flatbread to line each individual’s bowl, roughly torn

Equipment

• 1 chef’s knife
• 1 chopping board
• 1 pan or oven proof dish
• 1 wooden spoon

Cooking the ingredients

1. Soften the diced onion somewhat and then brown the 700g cubed lamb.
2. Gently but thoroughly mix in the:
   • 1 tsp cumin seeds
   • 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
   • 1 tsp chili powder (I used Kashmiri)
   • 1 tsp Moroccan spice mix
3. Mix in the carrot, zucchini, 400g canned tomatoes and 1 Tbsp tomato paste.
4. Add enough water to cover everything, mix gently and bring everything to a good boil for a minute or two.

Simmering the stew and making flatbread

1. Reduce the heat and simmer (uncovered) for about 30 minutes, stirring every now and again.
2. Add the 800g canned chickpeas and gently mix everything.
3. Start making your flatbread now – recipe here.
4. Simmer for another hour (uncovered) or until the lamb is tender and the sauce has reduced somewhat.

Serving

1. Tear  1 – 2 Semolina flatbread pieces and line each of your guest’s serving bowls.
2. Ladle the meat and vegetables into each bowl.
3. Top up with the gravy and serve hot.
4. Have some extra flatbread on hand.

Enjoy,

PK

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YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE

MORE MOROCCAN DISHES

MORE NORTH AFRICAN CUISINE

 SEMOLINA FLATBREAD

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