Galayet Bandora

Galayet Bandora (Jordanian Tomato and Pepper Stew)

A beloved Levantine vegan dish from Jordan, Galayet Bandora (or 'Galayet Banadoura') features ripe tomatoes, sweet peppers, and loads of garlic simmered down into a thick, rustic stew traditionally scooped up with warm flatbread.

Prep

15 min

Cook

30 min

Total

45 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •700 g (1 lb 9 oz) ripe tomatoes, firm but ripe; cored and grated on the large holes of a box grater, peel and seeds discarded
• •300 g (10½ oz) green bell peppers (or a mix of green and mildly hot peppers), small, Levantine-style peppers preferred; sliced into thin rings or strips
• •1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• •8 cloves fresh garlic, crushed or finely minced; traditionally a generous amount is used
• •60 ml (¼ cup) olive oil, good-quality extra virgin
• •1 tsp ground coriander
• •sweet paprika, ½
• •ground cumin, ½
• •Aleppo pepper, ½, optional, for gentle warmth
• •1 tsp fine salt, or to taste
• •black pepper, ¼, freshly ground
• •1 tbsp tomato paste, optional, for deeper color and body
• •warm flatbread, to serve, such as shrak, markook, or pita, for scooping

Steps

1. 1 Prepare the tomatoes: bring a small pot of water to a boil. Score a shallow 'X' in the base of each tomato, blanch for 30 seconds, then transfer to ice water for 1 minute. Slip off the skins, cut in half, and grate the flesh on the large holes of a box grater; discard the cores and seeds. (If you prefer, simply finely chop ripe tomatoes and briefly pulse them.) You should end up with roughly 600 g (about 2½ cups) of grated tomato pulp.
2. 2 Heat the olive oil in a wide, deep skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring often, for 5–6 minutes until softened and translucent but not browned.
3. 3 Add the crushed garlic and the optional tomato paste. Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the garlic is fragrant and the paste has darkened slightly.
4. 4 Stir in the ground coriander, paprika, cumin, Aleppo pepper (if using), salt, and black pepper. Toast the spices for about 30 seconds until aromatic.
5. 5 Pour in the grated tomatoes and add the sliced peppers. Stir well to combine, bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low.
6. 6 Simmer uncovered for 18–22 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peppers are completely tender and the sauce has thickened to a jammy, stew-like consistency that mounds on a spoon. The liquid should reduce significantly and the oil may begin to glisten at the edges — this is the traditional finished texture.
7. 7 Taste and adjust salt. If the stew tastes sharp, simmer 3–5 minutes longer to cook off acidity.
8. 8 Remove from the heat, cover, and let rest for 5 minutes so the flavors settle and the peppers absorb the tomato.
9. 9 Serve warm in a shallow bowl with a generous side of warm flatbread for scooping. Traditionally eaten communally, straight from the pan, often alongside olives, sliced cucumber, and fresh mint tea.