Saudi home cooking · Slow cooked

Jalamah Recipe (Saudi Spiced Lamb Stew)

Brown well. Baharat bloom. Low until tender.

Farwa ZeeshanRecipe by Farwa ZeeshanTested in the NineFoods home kitchen

Jalamah is a rich Saudi lamb stew where lamb on the bone is browned, then cooked slowly with onions, tomatoes and baharat. It turns out tough or bland when the lamb isn't browned or the heat is too high. The fix is a hard sear in batches, frying the baharat in the fat, and a low simmer until the meat comes away from the bone.

Prep15m
Cook1h 50m
Servings5
kcal / serving520
LevelMedium
Jump to the method

The 3 laws of jalamah

Why this recipe works

Sear in batches

Crowded pot

Crowding steams the meat grey.

Fry the spices

Spices in water

Fat carries baharat's aroma.

Low simmer

Boiling

Boiling tightens the lamb.

Shopping and prep list

Ingredients

Servings
Tap items as you gather them · 0 of 0 ready

Jalamah

The NineFoods lamb gauge

Is the lamb ready?

Pull at a piece near the bone with a fork.

Tap a stage to see what to do.

Method · 3 stages

Step by step

1

Sear the lamb

High · 12 min
  1. Brown lamb in ghee in batches and lift out.
Look for: deep brown lamb.
12:00
2

Base

Medium · 12 min
  1. Fry onions golden in the same pot, add garlic, baharat and spices.
  2. Add tomatoes and paste and cook until thick.
Look for: thick, fragrant base.
12:00
3

Slow cook

Low, covered · 85 min
  1. Return lamb, add loomi, salt and hot water.
  2. Cover and simmer. Use the gauge above.
Look for: tender lamb in rich sauce.
85:00

Chef's troubleshooter

What went wrong? Pick the symptom

Why

Boiled or rushed.

Fix next time

Keep at a bare simmer and cook longer.

Why

Lamb not browned.

Fix next time

Sear in batches until deep brown.

Why

Loomi left too long.

Fix next time

Remove the loomi once the stew tastes tangy.

Why

Fatty cut.

Fix next time

Skim fat from the top before serving.

Swap smart

Ingredient roles and substitutes

IngredientJob in the dishSwap with
Lamb on the boneRich sauceBeef shin, cook 30 minutes longer
BaharatSpiceEqual allspice, pepper, cumin and cinnamon
LoomiTangLemon zest
Pressure cookerSpeed40 minutes under pressure

After the meal

Serve, store, reheat

Serve with

Plain white rice, Arabic bread and salad.

Store

Fridge 4 days. Freezer 3 months.

Reheat

Simmer covered with a splash of water.

How we tested this recipe

Tested in a home kitchen, not a studio

Farwa Zeeshan

Recipe developed and tested by Farwa Zeeshan, who cooks and tests every NineFoods recipe on a regular home stove.

  • Cooked from start to finish with the exact quantities above for 5 servings, using both the metric and US cup measures.
  • Every one of the 3 stages was timed at the stove; heat levels and the 'look for' cues are what we saw in the pan.
  • The doneness check (is the lamb ready) and the troubleshooter come from batches that went wrong, and how we fixed them.
  • Reheating and storage advice was checked on leftovers, not guessed.

Read our full testing process

Keep cooking

Related recipes and guides

More Arabian Gulf recipes5 Traditional Desi Cooking Techniques Every Cook Should KnowHow to Tenderise MeatHow to Make Ghee at Home

Quick answers

Jalamah FAQ

What is jalamah?

A Saudi stew of lamb on the bone slow-cooked with tomato, onion and baharat.

Which cut is best?

Lamb shoulder or neck on the bone.

What is baharat?

An Arabic spice mix, usually allspice, black pepper, cumin, coriander and cinnamon.

Can I make jalamah in a pressure cooker?

Yes, about 40 minutes after browning.