Levantine cuisine · Meat & Kebab

Lahme bi Ajwe

Lamb shoulder braised for hours in the oven with date paste, cinnamon and toasted almonds until the meat falls apart.

Ingredients · for 6 servings

• 1.5 kg lamb shoulder
• 250 g soft dates (pitted)
• 3 onions
• 6 cloves of garlic
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp baharat (seven-spice blend)
• 80 g almonds
• 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
• 700 ml lamb broth
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Cut the lamb shoulder into six large pieces, pat dry and rub thoroughly all over with salt, pepper and the baharat; preheat the oven to 160 °C top/bottom heat.
2. Heat olive oil in a heavy casserole dish and sear the meat pieces in batches for 3–4 min. per side until they have a dark brown crust, then remove.
3. Cut the onions into wedges and the garlic into slices, sauté in the frying fat for 6–8 min. over medium heat until golden, and toast the cinnamon for 1 min. until fragrant.
4. Roughly chop the dates, add them with the pomegranate molasses and lamb broth, return the meat to the pot and put the covered casserole dish in the oven for 2.5 hrs.
5. Toast the almonds in a dry pan for 4–5 min. until golden brown and set aside; meanwhile the dates should have broken down into a dark, thick sauce.
6. Remove the lid, glaze the meat uncovered for another 15 min., sprinkle with the almonds and serve with rice or flatbread.