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Al-Filaliyah: recipe illustration
Meat

Al-Filaliyah

A Moroccan dish from the Filala region, made with lamb or mutton slow-cooked with onions, saffron and gentle spices. A rich, fragrant sauce, traditionally served with bread or semolina.

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Ingredients

Ingredients

Spices & seasoning

Optional extras

On the side

Instructions

  1. Brown the lamb pieces in the olive oil over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, until golden on all sides.
  2. Add the sliced onions and let them melt down for 10 minutes over low heat.
  3. Stir in the chopped garlic, ginger, cumin, ras el-hanout, salt and pepper, and mix for 1 minute.
  4. Add the saffron diluted in a spoonful of warm water, then cover with water.
  5. Cover and simmer over very low heat for 1 hour 30, checking the liquid level.
  6. When the meat is tender, add the smen or butter, the chopped coriander and parsley, and the preserved lemons if using.
  7. Cook uncovered for another 10 minutes to thicken the sauce, then serve with the semolina.

Variations and tips

Chicken version. Replace the lamb with chicken thighs and reduce the cooking time to 45 minutes.

Using what you can find. Smen can be replaced with lightly salted butter mixed with a pinch of cumin, which gives a similar flavour.

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Original Ecomely recipe.