Lamb Gheimeh

Lamb Gheimeh

Gheimeh, Qeymeh (Persian:) is a Persian and Mesopotamian stew of which the main ingredients are meat, tomatoes, lentils, onion and lemon or lime. This stew is garnished with aubergine and usually served with rice. Iraqi Qeema is made with finely diced meat and crushed chickpeas, and is traditionally prepared on a large communal scale at the annual Ashura commemorations in southern Iraq. The name Qeema is an ancient Akkadian word meaning 'finely chopped'

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon butter

800 g lamb, shank

2 medium onion or 300 g, chopped

3 medium tomatoes or 300 g, chopped and skinned

6 cloves garlic, crushed

1 large potato or 300 g, peeled and cut into 3cm cubes

½ cup chick pea, dried or 100 g, pre-soaked for 4 hours

2 teaspoons ground turmeric

2 teaspoons whole cardamom pod

3 medium dried lime

2 cubes MAGGI® Chicken Bouillon or 20 g

6 cups water or 1½ liters, hot

Method:

In a large pot melt butter and fry Lamb Shanks for 5 minutes.

Add Onions, Tomatoes, Garlic, Potatoes, Chick Peas, Turmeric, Cardamom Pods, dried Limes, MAGGI® Chicken Bouillon and Water, cover and allow to simmer on medium heat for 2 hours or until meat and chick peas are fully cooked, soft and tender.

Remove limes, cardamom and meat and from pot. Discard limes and cardamom pods, allow meat to cool and remove from bones.

Strain remaining content in the pot, and reserve soup.

Return meat and strained vegetables to the pot, mash with a mallet until meat is shredded and vegetables are mashed (DO NOT USE A FOOD-PROCESSOR).

Place meat and vegetable mixture on a large plate, pour over some of the sauce and serve hot with a side of the soup, and spring onions.