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Kebab halla (beef braised in onions)

Name: Kebab halla (beef braised in onions)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 110 min
Total time: 125 min
Cuisine: Egyptian
Ingredients: 1 kg beef chuck; 3 tbsp vegetable oil; 6 onions; 4 garlic cloves; 4 green cardamom pods; 2 bay leaves; 1.5 tsp salt; 0.5 tsp ground black pepper; 200 ml hot water

Kebab halla: Cairo's pot-braised beef, cooked slowly in a mountain of onions until dark and sweet

Features:

One pot High protein Dairy free

Cuisine:

Egyptian

Despite the name, nothing here goes near a grill: kebab halla means "pot kebab", and it is the kind of unfussy Sunday or Friday dish that Cairo home cooks put on the stove and leave to its own devices. Chunks of beef are seared and then buried under a heap of sliced onions, which slowly give up their water and collapse into a glossy, almost jammy brown sauce with cardamom and bay. The meat ends up spoon-tender and the gravy tastes deeply savoury and a little sweet. It is eaten with Egyptian vermicelli rice, crusty bread or chips. Chef's tip: slice the onions into half-moons rather than chopping them; they melt evenly and give the sauce its silky body.

Total time: 125 min
Difficulty: easy
Serves: 4

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Ingredients

Serves4

2 ¼ lb beef chuckcut into 4 cm cubes, patted dry
3 tbsp vegetable oil
6 onionsabout 1 kg, thinly sliced into half-moons
4 garlic clovescrushed
4 green cardamom podslightly cracked
2 bay leaves
1 ½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
¾ cup hot wateronly if needed

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Method

0/5 done

Step 1: Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a heavy casserole over a high heat. Brown 2 ¼ lb beef chuck in two batches, turning, until each piece has a dark crust on several sides. Lift out onto a plate. Crowding the pot makes the meat steam grey, so take your time.
12 min
Step 2: Lower the heat to medium, add 6 onions with a pinch of ⅛ tsp salt and stir to coat in the fat. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring often, until the onions soften and start to turn golden.
10 min
Step 3: Stir in 4 garlic cloves, 4 green cardamom pods and 2 bay leaves, then return the beef and its juices to the pot. Season with the rest of 1 ⅓ tsp salt and ½ tsp ground black pepper.
Step 4: Cover tightly and cook over a low heat for 80–90 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Don't add water at the start: the onions release plenty of liquid and the sauce should stew in it. Add ¾ cup hot water a little at a time only if the bottom starts to catch.
85 min
Step 5: When the meat breaks apart easily with a spoon, uncover and simmer for a final 5–10 minutes until the sauce is thick, dark brown and clinging to the beef, with the oil glistening on top. Remove the bay leaves and cardamom pods before serving.
8 min

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 480 kcal
Protein: 52 g
Carbs: 17 g
Fat: 22 g
Fibre: 3 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does kebab halla (beef braised in onions) take?: About 125 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 110 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?: 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it gluten free?: Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
What can I use instead of onions?: 2 shallots per onion.
What can I use instead of garlic cloves?: ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.

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