Margoog — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

Thin sheets of dough simmered directly in a fragrant tomato and vegetable stew until they become silky and absorb the rich broth. This Najdi classic is Saudi home cooking at its most heartwarming.

Ingredients

400g lamb or chicken, cubed
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt for dough
3/4 cup warm water
2 zucchini, cubed
2 potatoes, cubed
1 carrot, sliced
1 large onion, diced
3 tomatoes, pureed
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp baharat
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
4 cups water
2 tbsp vegetable oil

Instructions

1 Make a simple dough with flour, salt, and water. Knead for 5 minutes until smooth. Rest covered for 15 minutes.
2 Brown the meat in oil in a large pot for 5 minutes. Add onion and cook until softened. Stir in tomato paste, baharat, and turmeric.
3 Add pureed tomatoes, water, and salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes until the meat is nearly tender.
4 Add potatoes, carrots, and zucchini to the simmering stew. Cook for 10 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
5 Roll the dough very thin and tear into irregular pieces about 8cm wide. Drop the dough pieces directly into the bubbling stew.
6 Cover and simmer for 15 more minutes until the dough pieces are cooked through and silky. Serve in deep bowls with plenty of broth.

Did You Know?

Saudi grandmothers say the secret to perfect margoog is tearing the dough by hand rather than cutting it — the rough edges absorb more stew.