Yakhnet Khodra

Yakhnet khodra — "vegetable stew" — is the backbone of everyday Lebanese home cooking, a slow-simmered one-pot of seasonal vegetables braised with bone-in lamb, olive oil and a warming seven-spice blend. Every household keeps a slightly different vegetable combination depending on the season and what the garden offers.

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 800g (1 lb 12 oz) bone-in lamb shoulder, cut into large chunks
• 3 tbsp (45ml) olive oil
• 2 medium onions, roughly chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 large tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 400g (14 oz) canned whole tomatoes
• 300g (10 oz) green beans, trimmed and halved
• 2 medium courgettes (zucchini), cut into thick rounds
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 1 tsp Lebanese 7-spice (baharat)
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground allspice
• 500ml (2 cups) water or light lamb stock
• Salt and white pepper to taste
• Small bunch fresh coriander or flat-leaf parsley, to serve

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large heavy pot or slow cooker insert over medium-high heat. Brown the lamb chunks in batches 3–4 minutes per side until deeply coloured. Remove and set aside.
2. Reduce heat to medium. Sauté onions 6–7 minutes until softened and golden. Add garlic and stir 1 minute.
3. Return lamb to pot. Add fresh and canned tomatoes, all spices and water. Stir well.
4. Slow cooker: Transfer to slow cooker, cook on LOW 6–7 hours or HIGH 3–4 hours. Add green beans, courgette and potatoes in the last 90 minutes of cooking.
5. Stovetop: Bring to a boil, reduce to a gentle simmer, cover and cook 1 hour. Add vegetables and simmer a further 30–35 minutes until everything is tender.
6. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. The sauce should be rich and slightly thickened.
7. Serve over vermicelli rice, scattered with fresh coriander or parsley.

Cook's Notes: Baharat (7-spice) is available at Middle Eastern grocers; substitute equal parts allspice and cinnamon with a pinch of black pepper and nutmeg. A squeeze of lemon juice at the end brightens the whole dish. Yakhnet freezes extremely well for up to 3 months.