Hearty Yemeni Saltah Stew (Print Version)

A savory Yemeni meat and vegetable stew with spiced broth and whipped fenugreek foam topping.

# What You Need:

→ Meat & Base

01 - 1.1 lb beef or lamb, cut into 0.8 inch cubes
02 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
03 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
06 - 1 green chili, finely chopped (optional)
07 - 1 medium potato, cubed
08 - 1 medium carrot, diced
09 - 4 cups water or beef broth
10 - 1/2 tsp ground cumin
11 - 1/2 tsp ground coriander
12 - 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
13 - 1 tsp ground turmeric
14 - 1/2 tsp ground fenugreek
15 - 1 tsp salt, or to taste

→ Fenugreek Topping (Hulbah)

16 - 2 tbsp ground fenugreek seeds
17 - 0.14 cup water (plus more for soaking)
18 - 1 small tomato, finely diced
19 - 1 small bunch cilantro, chopped
20 - 1 green chili, minced (optional)
21 - Juice of 1/2 lemon
22 - Pinch of salt

→ Bread Layer

23 - 2 large Yemeni flatbreads (malawah or lahoh) or pita

# How To Make:

01 - Heat vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté chopped onions until golden. Add minced garlic, green chili if using, and meat cubes; brown evenly. Stir in chopped tomatoes, potato, carrot, cumin, coriander, black pepper, turmeric, ground fenugreek, and salt. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour in water or beef broth, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 60 to 90 minutes until meat is tender and vegetables are soft.
02 - Soak ground fenugreek seeds in cold water for 1 hour, then drain excess water. Whisk the soaked fenugreek vigorously until a light, fluffy foam forms. Fold in diced tomato, chopped cilantro, minced green chili if desired, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Set aside.
03 - Tear flatbread into bite-sized pieces and place them at the bottom of serving bowls. Ladle hot meat stew over the bread, soaking the bread without submerging it. Spoon a generous layer of hulbah foam over each bowl.
04 - Serve immediately while hot, allowing diners to mix the layers before eating.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The hulbah transforms everything—one whisk and you've created something that looks fancy but tastes deeply honest.
  • It's a one-pot meal that feeds four people and feels like you spent all day cooking when it takes under two hours.
  • Every bite mingles warm bread, tender meat, and that signature fenugreek nuttiness that somehow tastes both exotic and instantly familiar.
02 -
  • The hulbah requires actual soaking time—rushing it means you'll beat paste instead of achieving that cloud texture that makes people ask what you did.
  • Don't skip browning the meat properly; those caramelized edges are where half the depth comes from.
  • The bread-to-stew ratio matters; too much bread and it's heavy, too little and you lose the textural point of the whole dish.
03 -
  • If your hulbah isn't fluffy after whisking, the fenugreek didn't soak long enough—go back and let it sit longer, then try again.
  • Toast whole fenugreek seeds in a dry pan before grinding them yourself if you want even deeper flavor, though ground seeds work perfectly fine.
  • Serve Saltah in wide bowls so people can see all the layers and mix them exactly as they like.
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