Marqooq (Najdi Thin Dough Stew with Lamb and Vegetables)
Local name: مرقوق
In short: Paper-thin sheets of whole wheat dough cooked in a spiced lamb stew with pumpkin, zucchini and potato until soft and silky. It takes about 2 h 40 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 50 min
- Cook
- 1 h 50 min
- Resting
- 30 min
- Total
- 2 h 40 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Challenging
- Calories
- 435 kcal
Marqooq is a warming Najdi stew from the heart of Saudi Arabia, named for the thin sheets of dough that go into it. The dough is rolled as thin as paper, cut into squares and laid over a simmering pot of lamb and vegetables, where it cooks to a soft, silky texture that thickens the sauce. It is a winter and Ramadan favorite, served in deep bowls with a squeeze of lemon.
Instructions
- Mix both flours with the salt. Add the oil and enough water to form a firm dough. Knead for 5 minutes until smooth, cover and rest for 30 minutes.
- Heat the oil in a large heavy pot and brown the lamb for 8 minutes. Add the onions and cook for 6 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste and stir for 1 minute.
- Add the tomatoes, dried limes, spices, salt and water. Bring to a boil, skim, then cover and simmer for 1 hour.
- Add the pumpkin, potatoes and carrots and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the zucchini and simmer for 10 minutes more.
- While the vegetables cook, divide the dough into 6 balls. Roll each as thin as you can, to about 1 mm, on a floured surface, dusting often. Cut into 5 cm (2 in) squares.
- Drop the dough squares into the simmering stew in batches, pushing them under the liquid. Simmer gently for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring carefully, until the dough is soft and the stew has thickened.
- Check the lamb is tender and taste for salt. Serve hot in deep bowls with lemon wedges.
Tips
- Roll the dough as thin as possible. Thick pieces turn doughy rather than silky, and a long, thin rolling pin helps.
- Chicken can replace the lamb and cooks in 30 minutes. Add an eggplant or turnip to the vegetables if you like.
Questions and answers
What is the difference between marqooq and mataziz?
Marqooq uses very thin sheets of dough cooked in the stew. Mataziz uses thicker pieces of dough that are rolled or cut, giving a chewier, dumpling-like texture.
Can I make marqooq ahead?
Make the stew ahead and cook the dough fresh. Leftovers keep for 3 days in the fridge, though the dough softens further.
Can I use store-bought dough?
Thin fresh pasta sheets or tortillas cut into squares work as a shortcut, though the texture is different.
How long does it take to make Marqooq (Najdi Thin Dough Stew with Lamb and Vegetables)?
About 2 h 40 min in total: 50 min of preparation and 1 h 50 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Marqooq (Najdi Thin Dough Stew with Lamb and Vegetables)?
About 435 kcal per serving, with 21 g of protein, 49 g of carbohydrates and 17 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 435 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 21 g |
| Carbohydrates | 49 g |
| Fat | 17 g |
| Fiber | 8 g |
| Sugar | 9 g |
| Sodium | 900 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
