Arabian Lamb Stew Recipe
This hearty Arabian Lamb Stew recipe is loaded with tender lamb meat and great flavor from the bones, and earthy, warm Arabian spices.
It is a worthy Restaurant Style meal made with simple ingredients following easy steps.
Lamb stew is a rich dish with tender meat, potatoes, onions, and a hint of subtle, delicious spice. It is also called Saloonat Laham in Arabic.
If you cook this recipe in a pressure cooker (instant pot), the cooking time will be around 30 to 40 minutes. Cooking it on the stovetop using my method will take 1 hour and a half. Serve the stew with fluffy parboiled rice or coconut milk rice, and for another stew recipe, try my Arabic Chicken Stew.
How To Make
It can feel intimidating if you’ve never made any kind of stew before. But this recipe is the perfect one to start with.
You’ll need a large pan or heavy skillet with a bit of ghee to prepare this dish. Cook on medium-high heat.
Cooking on stovetop
Step 1
In a large pan, add the lamb meat, black peppercorns, green cardamom, cloves, and enough water to cover the lamb meat and cook it for one hour to one and half hours.
Step 2
In a medium pan, melt the ghee, then fry the onion until translucent and almost golden.
Step 3
Add the meat to the onion and fry until you see brown patches on it, then add the potatoes and mix for one minute. Cover for two minutes, then add the garlic and mix.
Step 4
Season with salt and the rest of the stew spices; mix well. Add the tomato paste and mix until combined.
Step 5
Pour the boiling water and cook the stew until the potato is cooked and the meat is completely cooked, around 20 minutes on medium heat.
Cooking Tips
- Want to cook the meat even faster? Cut it into small cubes.
- Do not add salt while boiling the meat. Salt will make the meat cook for longer.
- You can add green chili if you want the lamb stew spicy.
- You can cook the meat a day before and refrigerate it. Continue with the remaining steps the next day.
Delicious Variations
The recipe and ingredients I’ve listed are the classic ones for an Arabian Lamb Stew, but you can make it your own with a few variations!
- Add other vegetables. Some vegetables and herbs that go well with this stew are carrots, bell peppers, bay leaves, fresh thyme, mushrooms, parsley, parsnips, and turnips.
- Convert it into a vegan dish by replacing the meat with vegetables and the ghee with cooking oil.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, of course. To replace the chunk of meat, use large cubes of carrots and potatoes, and then add more of your favorite vegetables.
The chicken will add even more flavor to this stew recipe. Instead of boiling the chicken, fry it with onion and continue with the remaining steps.
I prefer the leg and shoulders; these cuts are tender and flavorful when cooked properly.
🌡️ Storing and Reheating
- Fridge: Lamb stew can stay safe for four days when refrigerated in an airtight container.
- Freezer: You can also freeze it for three months!
- Reheat: Pour it into a pot and reheat it on the stovetop for the best result. You can also reheat using the microwave if you’re in a hurry.
- Note: When frozen, place the stew in the fridge overnight and reheat using any of the two methods mentioned above.
Related Recipes
- Lamb coconut curry.
- Mutton curry recipe.
- Authentic chicken curry.
- Rogan josh recipe.
- Creamy butter chicken.
- Lamb bhindi masal.
Watch me make Arabian Lamb Stew
Arabian Lamb Stew Recipe
Ingredients
For cooking the lamb meat in a regular pan
- 500 grams lamb cubes or 1 kilo if with bones
- ½ tablespoon black pepper corns
- ½ tablespoon green cardamom
- 5 whole cloves
- water enough to cover the lamb meat and cook it for 1 hour and half
For the stew
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 large potato cut into cubes
- 5 garlic cloves minced medium sized garlic
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- Salt to taste or two teaspoon
- 6 whole cardamoms
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder
- 5 whole cloves
- 3 inch cinnamon stick or half teaspoon cinnamon powder
- 1 ½ tablespoon Yamani spice mix recipe below
- 1 dry lemon
- 2 to 3 tablespoon ghee
- 5 cups boiling water
Yemeni Spice Mix
- 2 ½ tablespoon cumin powder
- 1 tablespoon black pepper powder
- 2 tablespoon coriander powder
- 1 tablespoon cardamom powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
- ½ teaspoon clove powder
- 1 tablespoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder optional
Instructions
How to Make Yemeni Spice Mix
- Mix them all up and keep in airtight container.
Making the stew
- In a large pan on medium-high heat, add the lamb meat, black pepper corns, green cardamom, cloves, and enough water to cover the lamb meat and cook it for one hour to one and half hour depending on how big is the cut.
- When the lamb is cooked, discard the spices and water, and keep the meat aside.
- In a separate medium pan, melt the ghee, then fry the onion until translucent and almost golden.
- Add the meat to the onion and fry until you see brown patches on it, then add the potatoes and mix for one minute. Cover for two minutes, then add the garlic and mix.
- Season with salt and the rest of the stew spices, mix well. Add the tomato paste and mix until combined.
- Pour the boiling water and cook the stew until the potato is cooked and the meat is completely cooked around 20 minutes on medium heat.
- Your lamb stew is ready to serve.
Notes
- Cut the meat into smaller cuts to help cook it faster.
- Do not add salt when cooking the meat the regular way to prevent it from getting tough or taking a longer time to cook.
- You will not need to cook the meat separately if using a pressure cooker.
- This post was originally published in 2016 and is updated with a video and more information.
So delicious and comforting…perfect for this time of year.
Salaam Muna,
This recipe looks so delicious and I can’t wait to try it out.
I was wondering whether this could be made in a slow cooker, and if so, would I need to change anything.
Wa Alaikum Assalam, It is a delicious dish Maryam :). Yes, you can make this dish in a slow cooker, but you have to brown the meat and onion first, then add all the ingredients in the slow cooker. I guess you’ll need around 3 cups broth or water. Good Luck!
Hi hun,
Just wondering if this can be made without a pressure cooker ?
Hi Amanda! You can make this stew without using a pressure cooker but you have to let it cook on medium high for one hour and a half!
Assalammualaykum
I have a question,
In the ingredients section you wrote “3 whole clove” under ¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder. What does the “ 3 whole clove “ referring to?
Thank you 🙂
Wa alaikum assalam. I meant 3 whole cloves it is a spice that mostly used in Arabian and Indian dishes. In Arabic it is called “Mismar” مسمار 🙂
Hi
You have mentioned 1 1/2 tablespoon of Yemeni spice mix which also contain the spice/herbs listed above this point, do you need to add all this or is it either the Yemeni spice mix or the list of ingredients mentioned at the above this point?
Thank you ?
Hi Neelum, You have to add the Yemeni spice mix too 🙂
I’m not from Arab descent but interested in making this dish. what is in the Yemeni spice mix?…. thanks
Hi Vlady, If you type Mandi in the search bar a recipe will appear and it has the Yemeni spice mix ingredients in it.
I doubled the cardamom pods, doubled the potatoes, and increased the garlic to 5 cloves. I also tried this dish both in the pressure cooker and simmering on a stove top. I personally like it better on the stovetop because I feel the flavor really seeps into the meat and potatoes much more. But, of course, it takes a lot more time on the stovetop plus I had to add about three extra cups of water. With these alterations, this turned out amazing!
Thanks for the tips Karla, this sounds wonderful 🙂
I made this last night and it’s absolutely DELICIOUS!!! Instead of water I re-used the lamb stock that I drained off the meat, and I only used 2 cups, which was more than enough. If I put in extra it would have been too watery in my opinion.
I’m not sure how you serve it, but i served on Basmati rice with plain yoghurt and coriander leaves. Heavenly.
Hi Wai, Thanks so much for trying my ecipe and for your comment. We serve Arabian Lamb Stew with Basmati rice too ☺
Hi Muna! I’m in Dubai too! Where is that delicious looking bread from? I’m looking forward to making this tonight. Do you also make this dish with goat or mutton meat?
Thank you so much for stopping by!
Absolutely delicious! Thank you for sharing this easy to make recipe. SOO VERY GOOD!!
I am cooking it now. I don’t have dry lemon, I will use some grated zest. Thank you for the recipe.
If i am to make this without a pressure cooker, do i have to add more water and how much water do i add then?
it depends on the meat, some cuts take longer to cook, but I suggest you start with three cups, and if the stew needs more water make sure to add boiling water and not cold or room temp.
Hi, can’t seem to find the Yamani Spice Mix Recipe?
Hi, it is in the Chicken Mandi Recipe post. Hope this helped 🙂