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Sumaghiyyeh
Sumaghiyyeh: Gaza's sumac, chard, chickpea and lamb stew with tahini and dill
Sumaghiyyeh is Gaza's festive dish, cooked in big pots for Eid al-Fitr and eaten cold the next days with bread: chunks of lamb and chickpeas in a thick, purple-brown sauce of sumac, chard, tahini, garlic, dill and chilli. It tastes sour, nutty and herby all at once and is served at room temperature, sealed under a film of olive oil. Common mistake: using ground sumac straight into the pot, which leaves it gritty; soak the sumac and use the strained liquid. Chef's tip: make it a day ahead; the sauce sets and the flavours deepen, just as Gazan families serve it.
- Total time
- 130 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the lamb
For the sauce
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (5)
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Soak 2 ⅛ oz sumac in 1 ¾ cups warm water for 30 minutes, then rub it in a fine sieve over a bowl to squeeze out all the dark liquid. Discard the husks.
30 minStep 2: Put 1 ½ lb boneless lamb shoulder, 1.2 litres water, 1 onion, 3 cardamom pods and half of 1 tsp salt in a pot and bring to the boil, skimming off the foam. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, until tender.
60 minStep 3: Lift out the meat; strain and keep the broth.
Step 4: Wilt 2 ¼ lb Swiss chard in a large pot with a splash of the broth for 5 minutes, then add the lamb, 14 oz cooked chickpeas and 600 ml of the broth and simmer for 10 minutes.
15 minStep 5: Whisk 3 tbsp plain flour into the sumac liquid until smooth, then whisk in 4 oz tahini. Stir it into the pot and cook on a low heat for 10 minutes, stirring often, until thick enough to coat a spoon.
10 minStep 6: Pound 8 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp dill seeds, 2 red chillies and the rest of 1 tsp salt to a paste. Warm ½ cup olive oil in a small pan, fry the paste for 1 minute until fragrant (don't let it brown) and stir it into the stew with 1 oz fresh dill.
2 minStep 7: Cool and chill, covered, overnight if you can. Serve at room temperature in shallow bowls with a thread of olive oil and bread. Keeps 4 days in the fridge.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 560 kcal
- Protein
- 34 g
- Carbs
- 26 g
- Fat
- 37 g
- Fibre
- 9 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sumaghiyyeh take?
- About 130 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 100 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 very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of cooked chickpeas?
- Cannellini or butter beans, same amount.
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