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Mughash
Mughash (مغش): Jazan lamb and vegetables sealed in a stone pot and slow-baked
In Jazan, on Saudi Arabia's southern Red Sea coast, mughash is named after the heavy soapstone pot it is cooked in, which is packed with meat and vegetables, sealed and pushed into a hot oven or embers until everything collapses. Restaurants in Jazan and Sabya serve it bubbling in the stone, with hot flatbread for scooping. The lamb turns spoon-soft, the tomatoes melt into a thick gravy and the green chilli gives it a gentle heat. A heavy cast-iron casserole with a tight lid works just as well at home. The mistake to avoid is adding water as if for a stew: the vegetables release plenty of juice, and too much liquid washes out the flavour. Chef's tip: seal the lid with a strip of foil so no steam escapes in the first two hours.
- Total time
- 170 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 2 ⅝ lb lamb shoulder on the bonecut into 6–8 pieces
- 2 onionsthickly sliced
- 4 tomatoesquartered
- 3 potatoespeeled and halved
- 2 carrotscut in chunks
- 3 green chilliessplit
- 6 garlic cloveswhole
- 2 tsp baharat
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- ¾ cup water
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 350°F. Rub 2 ⅝ lb lamb shoulder on the bone with 2 tsp baharat, ½ tsp ground turmeric, ½ tsp ground cardamom, 2 tsp salt and 2 tbsp vegetable oil.
Step 2: Layer 2 onions over the base of a heavy lidded casserole or soapstone pot. Add the lamb, then tuck 3 potatoes, 2 carrots, 4 tomatoes, 6 garlic cloves and 3 green chillies around and over it. Pour in ¾ cup water.
Step 3: Cover tightly, sealing the lid with foil, and bake until the lamb is very tender and comes away from the bone when nudged with a spoon.
150 minStep 4: Check halfway: if the pot looks dry, add a splash of hot water, but do not add more than that.
Step 5: Taste the gravy for salt and serve in the pot with hot flatbread.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 640 kcal
- Protein
- 44 g
- Carbs
- 30 g
- Fat
- 38 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does mughash take?
- About 170 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 150 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 tomatoes?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
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