Recipe
Libyan Barley Dough & Lamb Stew
A Libyan sharing dish of firm barley bazin dough surrounded by a warmly spiced lamb, tomato and potato stew, finished with hard-boiled eggs and fresh parsley.
Ingredients
Method
25 mins prep80 mins cook105 mins total
Brown the lamb in oil. Add onion, garlic, caraway, turmeric and cayenne and cook for 5 minutes.
Add tomatoes, potatoes and 700 ml water. Cover and simmer for 55 minutes until the lamb is tender.
For the bazin, bring the remaining water and a pinch of salt to the boil. Whisk in the barley flour, then stir vigorously until a stiff dough forms.
Cook the dough for 10 minutes, stirring and folding until smooth. Shape it into a mound on a large platter.
Surround with the lamb stew, halve the eggs and arrange them on top. Scatter with parsley.
Notes
Barley flour dough becomes very firm as it cools, so shape and serve immediately.
About this recipe
Bazin is a traditional Libyan centrepiece built around a firm mound of barley-flour dough. It is surrounded by a gently spiced stew of lamb, tomatoes and potatoes, then finished with eggs and parsley for a generous platter.
Cook the stew until the lamb is tender while you prepare the dough separately. The dough sets quickly as it cools, so shape it while hot and handle it with a spoon or damp hands before spooning the stew around it.
