Bazin (Libyan Barley Dough with Lamb and Tomato Sauce)
Local name: بازين
In short: A firm dome of barley and wheat dough ringed with a spiced lamb, tomato and potato sauce, boiled eggs and chili. Libya's shared family platter. It takes about 2 h 20 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 1 h 50 min
- Total
- 2 h 20 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 800 kcal
Bazin is the dish many Libyans picture when they think of a family gathering. Barley flour and a little wheat flour are cooked in salted water and beaten into a firm, smooth dough, which is shaped into a dome on a large platter and surrounded by a tomato sauce with lamb, potatoes and boiled eggs. Everyone eats from the shared plate with the right hand, tearing off dough and dipping it into the sauce, with lemon and chili on the side.
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large heavy pot and brown the lamb in two batches for 8 minutes total per batch. Set the meat aside.
- Cook the onions in the same pot for 8 minutes until golden. Add the garlic, tomato paste, turmeric, paprika, fenugreek, chili and pepper and stir for 2 minutes.
- Return the lamb to the pot, add the salt and the 1.2 liters (5 cups) of water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, then add the potatoes and cook for 20 minutes more, until the lamb and potatoes are tender.
- Make the dough while the potatoes cook. Whisk both flours with 500 ml (2 cups) of the cold water until smooth. Bring the remaining 900 ml (3 3/4 cups) of water and the salt to a boil in a wide heavy pot.
- Lower the heat to medium and slowly pour in the flour mixture, stirring hard with a sturdy wooden spoon. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, beating and pressing the dough against the pot, until it is firm, smooth and pulls away from the sides.
- With wet hands, shape the hot dough into a smooth dome in the center of a large warm platter.
- Ladle the sauce around the dome and arrange the lamb, potatoes and halved eggs on the sauce. Serve at once with lemon wedges and chilies, tearing off dough and dipping it into the sauce.
Tips
- Wet your hands and the spoon when shaping, because the dough is sticky and very hot. A damp spatula helps smooth the dome.
- Many families make a meatless version with broad beans or chickpeas and extra potatoes in the sauce, especially when meat is expensive.
Questions and answers
What does bazin taste like?
The dough is plain and slightly nutty, like a very firm porridge. The flavor comes from the spiced tomato sauce, and eating the two together is the point of the dish.
Can I make bazin with only barley flour?
Yes, for a darker, denser dough with a stronger flavor. A little wheat flour makes it smoother and easier to shape.
How do you eat bazin?
Tear off a piece of dough with your right hand, dip it into the sauce and eat it with a bite of potato, egg or lamb. It is traditionally shared from one platter.
How long does it take to make Bazin (Libyan Barley Dough with Lamb and Tomato Sauce)?
About 2 h 20 min in total: 30 min of preparation and 1 h 50 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Bazin (Libyan Barley Dough with Lamb and Tomato Sauce)?
About 800 kcal per serving, with 42 g of protein, 84 g of carbohydrates and 33 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 800 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 42 g |
| Carbohydrates | 84 g |
| Fat | 33 g |
| Fiber | 13 g |
| Sugar | 5 g |
| Sodium | 900 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
