Lham Lahlou

Lham Lahlou (Algerian Sweet Lamb Stew)

Lham Lahlou, meaning 'sweet meat' in Algerian Arabic, is a festive slow-cooked lamb stew traditionally served at family gatherings and special occasions, especially during Ramadan. Tender lamb shoulder is simmered with chickpeas, caramelized onions, raisins, and warm North African spices, then garnished with toasted sesame, fried almonds, and cinnamon for a beautifully sweet-savory bowl.

Prep

20 min

Cook

150 min

Total

170 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •900 g (2 lb) bone-in lamb shoulder, cut into 5 cm / 2 in pieces; substitutes: lamb shank
• •30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil
• •3 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
• •10 g (1 tbsp) ground cinnamon, Algerian-style, divided
• •5 g (2 tsp) ground ginger
• •2 g (1 tsp) black pepper, freshly ground
• •2 g (1 tsp) salt, adjust to taste
• •1 g (½ tsp) saffron threads, optional but traditional; bloomed in 2 tbsp warm water
• •250 g (1¼ cups (drained)) dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in cold water with 1 tsp baking soda
• •120 g (¾ cup) raisins, golden or dark
• •60 g (⅓ cup) dried apricots, halved
• •1.5 L (6 cups) water, or enough to cover the lamb by 2 cm
• •40 g (⅓ cup) whole blanched almonds
• •30 g (3 tbsp) sesame seeds, toasted
• •5 g (1 tbsp) powdered sugar, for dusting; traditional Algerian finish
• •10 g (1 tbsp) honey or sugar, optional, adjust to taste for sweetness

Steps

1. 1 Drain the soaked chickpeas and rinse thoroughly under cold running water. Set aside.
2. 2 Pat the lamb pieces dry with paper towels. Heat the olive oil in a heavy Dutch oven or tagine over medium-high heat. Sear the lamb in batches until deep golden brown on all sides, about 3 to 4 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate.
3. 3 Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the sliced onions to the same pot with a pinch of salt and cook slowly, stirring often, until deeply caramelized and mahogany in color, 25 to 30 minutes. Patience here is essential for the traditional flavor.
4. 4 Stir in the cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, salt, and bloomed saffron (with its water). Cook the spices with the onions for 1 minute until fragrant.
5. 5 Return the lamb to the pot along with the drained chickpeas. Pour in the water; the lamb should be covered by about 2 cm / ¾ inch. Bring to a boil, skim any foam that rises, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for 1 hour.
6. 6 Add the raisins and dried apricots to the pot. Cover and continue to simmer for another 45 to 60 minutes, until the lamb is fork-tender and pulling away from the bone, and the chickpeas are very soft. Internal temperature of the lamb should reach at least 85°C / 185°F for fall-apart texture.
7. 7 While the stew finishes, toast the sesame seeds in a small dry skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, until golden and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. In a separate small skillet, fry the almonds in a thin layer of oil until pale gold, about 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
8. 8 Taste the broth and adjust salt. Stir in the honey or sugar if you prefer a sweeter finish; traditional Algerian preparations lean noticeably sweet.
9. 9 To serve, ladle the lamb, chickpeas, and fruit into shallow bowls. Scatter the toasted almonds and sesame seeds over each portion, dust generously with powdered sugar and a final pinch of cinnamon. Lham Lahlou is traditionally eaten with crusty bread or scooped up by hand with khobz.