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Mosli
Clay-pot baked lamb and potatoes
Tunisian Eid al-Adha lamb and potatoes slow-baked in a sealed clay pot
In Sfax and the south of Tunisia, mosli is a dish of Eid al-Adha: lamb shoulder rubbed with harissa, garlic and spices is packed into a clay pot with potatoes and tomato, the lid is sealed with dough, and it is sent to the bakery oven for hours. The lamb turns spoon-tender and the potatoes soak up the red, peppery juices. A lidded casserole or clay pot in a home oven works just as well. Chef's tip: seal the lid tightly with foil (or the traditional rope of flour-and-water dough) so no steam escapes; that trapped steam is what makes mosli so tender.
- Total time
- 205 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 2 ⅞ lb bone-in lamb shouldercut into 6 large pieces
- 2 tbsp harissa paste
- 6 cloves garliccrushed
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 tsp ground caraway
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 2 tsp salt
- 5 tbsp olive oil
- 1 ¾ lb potatoespeeled and halved
- 3 tomatoesquartered
- 1 cup water
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Mix the 2 tbsp harissa paste, 6 cloves garlic, 2 tbsp tomato purée, 1 tsp ground caraway, 1 tsp ground coriander, ½ tsp ground turmeric, 2 tsp salt and 5 tbsp olive oil into a paste. Rub it all over the 2 ⅞ lb bone-in lamb shoulder. Cover and leave in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
10 minStep 2: Heat the oven to 350°F (300°F fan). Put the lamb in a clay pot or heavy lidded casserole. Tuck the 1 ¾ lb potatoes, 3 tomatoes and 4 long green chillies around it and pour in the 1 cup water.
5 minStep 3: Cover the pot tightly with a double layer of foil, then press the lid down on top so no steam can escape. In Tunisia the lid is sealed with a rope of flour-and-water dough, which works too but is not gluten free.
5 minStep 4: Bake for 3 hours without opening. A common mistake is peeking: once the seal is broken the steam escapes and the meat dries.
180 minStep 5: Break the seal at the table. The lamb is ready when it pulls easily from the bone (well over 160°F) and the potatoes are soft and red with sauce. Serve with bread.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 560 kcal
- Protein
- 38 g
- Carbs
- 32 g
- Fat
- 30 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does mosli take?
- About 205 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 180 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 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.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of tomato purée?
- Ketchup, same amount (sweeter).
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