Recipe byThe ZestyPlate Kitchen
Egypt's beloved jute-leaf stew, simmered with tender beef and finished with fried garlic. Earthy and silky, lovely over rice with plenty of lemon.
Mulukhiyah is one of those Egyptian dishes people grow up on: a deep green stew made from finely chopped jute mallow leaves, simmered with beef until tender. What sets it apart is the silky, almost velvety texture of the leaves and the hit of fried garlic stirred in right at the end. Spoon it over rice with a good squeeze of lemon and you have a proper bowl of home cooking.
Jump to recipe
Prep 10 min
Cook 60 min
Total 70 min
Medium
Scale:
- 800g Mulukhiyah
- 1 chopped Onion
- 300g Beef
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 Litre Water
- 1 Garlic Clove
- 1/2 cup Olive Oil
Preparation
- Sauté the onion in 3 to 4 tablespoons of olive oil.
- Add the beef cubes and sear for 3 to 4 minutes on each side.
- Pour in 1 litre of water, or just enough to cover the meat, and cook over medium heat until the beef is done (about 5 minutes in a pressure cooker).
- Tip in the frozen mulukhiyah and stir until it has thawed completely and comes up to the boil.
- In a separate pan, warm a quarter to half a cup of olive oil with the garlic over medium-low heat until you can smell the garlic. Don't let it brown, or it will taste bitter.
- Stir the garlicky oil into the mulukhiyah, lower the heat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Season with salt to taste.
- Serve with a generous squeeze of lemon juice, alongside short-grain rice or pita bread.
Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen
- Once the mulukhiyah goes in, keep the cooking time short so the leaves stay bright green rather than dull.
- Fry the garlic gently and pull it off the heat the moment it smells fragrant; let it brown and the whole dish turns bitter.
- Build the base on a good beef stock, or just use the liquid the meat cooked in, for a fuller flavour.
- Don't skip the lemon at the table; that sharpness is what cuts through the rich, earthy stew.
Frequently Asked Questions
The word covers both the finished dish and the leafy green it relies on, jute mallow. The leaves are what give the stew its slippery, silky texture and that earthy taste.
Frozen chopped mulukhiyah is the easy option and turns up in most Middle Eastern grocers. You can also use fresh leaves or the dried version if you can find them.
Yes. Garlic softened gently in oil, sometimes with a little coriander, gets stirred through at the end, and that step is what gives mulukhiyah its unmistakable smell and taste.
Short-grain Egyptian rice is traditional, or pita bread, always with lemon on the side. Chicken or rabbit stand in nicely for the beef.
Save this recipe, join ZestyPlate free
- Save your favourite recipes
- Build your own cookbooks
- Track what you've cooked
- New recipes in your inbox
Create free account
Already a member? Log in
Ratings & Reviews
Log in or create an account to rate this recipe.
No reviews yet, be the first to rate this recipe!
Comments (0)
Log in or create an account to join the conversation.
No comments yet, start the conversation!