How to make Libyan Mbakbaka - A warmly spiced one pot pasta masterpiece

chicken

🥗Healthier: turkey

💰Cheaper: pork

Turkey is leaner while pork is often less expensive.

olive oil

🥗Healthier: avocado oil

💰Cheaper: vegetable oil

Avocado oil is healthier, while vegetable oil is typically cheaper.

chickpeas

🥗Healthier: lentils

💰Cheaper: canned beans

Lentils are high in protein and cheaper than dried chickpeas.

potatoes

🥗Healthier: sweet potatoes

💰Cheaper: yams

Sweet potatoes provide more nutrients, while yams are often less expensive.

Start by making the bazaar spice blend: in a small bowl, mix a quarter teaspoon each of black pepper and cumin, an eighth of a teaspoon each of ginger, cloves, and dried coriander, and a sixteenth of a teaspoon each of ground cardamom and nutmeg to make one teaspoon of seven spice.

Crush three quarters of a teaspoon of caraway in a pestle and mortar until fine.

In a small bowl, combine the crushed caraway, one and a quarter teaspoons of ground turmeric, half a teaspoon of the seven spice, and half a teaspoon of dried coriander to make the bazaar spice mix.

Dice two medium brown onions into a medium-sized dice.

Chop one kilogram of lamb leg cubes into smaller pieces if necessary, including some bone for flavor.

In a large pot, heat a quarter cup of vegetable oil on high heat.

Add half of the meat cubes to the pot and sear for about 3-4 minutes until browned on one side, then flip and sear the other side for another 3 minutes until caramelized.

Remove the browned meat and set aside, then add the remaining meat to the pot and repeat the searing process.

Once all the meat is browned, turn the heat down to medium-low and add the diced onions, mixing to dissolve the fond from the bottom of the pot.

Once the onions start to soften, add 2-3 minced garlic cloves and sauté for about 5-7 minutes until the onions are translucent but not caramelized.

Add all the meat back into the pot along with any liquid that may have drained off.

Add 4 tablespoons of tomato paste, 2 teaspoons of bazaar spice mix, 1.5 teaspoons of hot paprika, 0.5 teaspoons of cayenne pepper, and 2.5 teaspoons of salt. Mix well to coat everything evenly.

Turn the heat up to high and add about half a liter of stock to just cover the meat. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium and cover with a lid.

Cook the meat until fork tender, about 45 minutes, checking every 10 minutes to ensure the liquid doesn't evaporate.

Remove the bones from the meat for easier cooking later.

Add 500 grams of dry pasta to the pot and stir to combine with the sauce.

Add enough hot water to completely submerge the pasta. Stir frequently while cooking according to package instructions.

When the pasta has about 5 minutes left, add 3 green chilies for extra heat.

Once the pasta is cooked, ensure the sauce has a soupy consistency before serving.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary