Lehsan — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

Succulent lamb chunks slow-cooked with an abundance of garlic, tomatoes, and warming spices until the meat falls apart. This intensely flavored stew is Mauritanian cold-weather comfort food.

Ingredients

700g lamb shoulder, bone-in, cubed
15 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
3 tomatoes, chopped
2 onions, diced
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp coriander
3 tbsp vegetable oil
Salt and pepper
3 cups water
Fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

1 Brown lamb pieces in oil over high heat in batches to develop deep caramelization. Remove and reserve.
2 Saute onions in the same pot for 5 minutes. Add all the garlic halves and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.
3 Stir in tomato paste, cumin, turmeric, and coriander. Cook for one minute until spices bloom.
4 Return lamb, add tomatoes and water. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a gentle simmer.
5 Cook for 1.5 hours until lamb is falling off the bone and the garlic has melted into the sauce.
6 Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with flatbread or rice to soak up the rich garlic sauce.

Did You Know?

Mauritanians believe lehsan has medicinal properties, often preparing it with extra garlic during cold and flu season.