Fattah

Method

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1. Simmer the lamb with the onions, bay, peppercorns, cardamom, salt and water for 120 minutes, skimming the foam, until it falls from the bone. Lift the meat out and strain the broth.

   Mark done Start 120 min timer

2. Fry the torn bread in 4 tbsp oil until crisp and deep gold, about 6 minutes, and drain.

   Mark done Start 6 min timer

3. For the sauce, fry the garlic in 4 tbsp oil for 40 seconds until fragrant but not coloured.

   Mark done Start 40 sec timer

4. Add the tomato purée and cook 2 minutes, then the tomatoes, salt and chilli. Simmer 10 minutes.

   Mark done

5. Take the sauce off the heat and stir in the vinegar. Taste — it should be assertively sharp.

   Mark done

6. Layer a wide dish: fried bread first, moistened with a ladle of hot broth, then the rice, then the lamb.

   Mark done

7. Pour the sauce over at the table, so the bread keeps some of its crispness under it.

   Mark done

Chef’s Tips

• Vinegar off the heat. Cooked in, it disappears.
• Moisten the bread with broth, not sauce, or it collapses.
• Assemble at the last moment.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.
• A dry vermouth keeps for longer than an open bottle of white wine and is the closer swap than a random white left in the fridge; for an alcohol-free version, use the same amount of stock with a squeeze of lemon.

Pairing Suggestions

• Torshi
• Salata baladi
• Green chillies

Storage & Reheating

Keep the components separate; they last 3 days refrigerated. Assembled fattah does not keep.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.