Thareed (Emirati Lamb and Vegetable Stew over Bread)
Local name: ثريد
In short: Lamb stewed with pumpkin, potato, carrot and zucchini in a lightly spiced tomato broth, ladled over torn bread to soak. 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
- 450 kcal
Thareed is a Ramadan classic in the Emirates: a deep platter of bread softened with spiced lamb and vegetable broth, with the stew piled on top. The cooking is gentle and familiar, with pumpkin, zucchini, potato and carrot melting into a tomato broth scented with dried lime and baharat. The bread soaks up everything, so each bite is part stew, part soft bread. Families share it from one big dish at iftar.
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large heavy pot and brown the lamb in two batches, about 6 minutes per batch. Set it aside.
- Cook the onions in the same pot for 8 minutes until golden. Add the garlic, baharat and turmeric and stir for 1 minute.
- Stir in the tomatoes and tomato paste, then return the lamb. Add the dried limes, cinnamon, cardamom, water and salt. Bring to a boil, skim, then cover and simmer for 1 hour.
- Add the carrots and potatoes and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the pumpkin and zucchini and simmer for 15 minutes more, until the lamb is tender and the vegetables are soft but not falling apart.
- Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Spread the torn bread on a tray and dry it in the oven for 5 minutes, until it feels crisp at the edges.
- Spread the bread over a large deep platter. Ladle over about 500 ml (2 cups) of the hot broth and leave for 2 minutes, until the bread is soaked but not mushy.
- Pile the lamb and vegetables on top, spoon over a little more broth and finish with cilantro. Serve hot with lemon wedges.
Tips
- Lamb neck or shank gives the richest broth. If you use a leaner cut, add a spoonful of oil at the start so the broth does not taste thin.
- The bread matters. Thin, crisp flatbread holds its shape best, but any thin pita works if you dry it in the oven first.
Questions and answers
Can I make thareed with chicken?
Yes. Use bone-in chicken thighs and shorten the first simmer to 25 minutes, until they reach 74°C (165°F), then add the vegetables.
How is thareed different from salona?
Thareed is usually made with lamb and served over bread that soaks up the broth. Salona is a thicker tomato stew with chicken or fish, served over rice.
Can I make thareed ahead of time?
Make the stew up to 2 days ahead and reheat it gently. Soak the bread only when you are ready to serve, or it will turn to paste.
How long does it take to make Thareed (Emirati Lamb and Vegetable Stew over Bread)?
About 2 h 20 min in total: 30 min of preparation and 1 h 50 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Thareed (Emirati Lamb and Vegetable Stew over Bread)?
About 450 kcal per serving, with 23 g of protein, 50 g of carbohydrates and 18 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 450 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 23 g |
| Carbohydrates | 50 g |
| Fat | 18 g |
| Fiber | 7 g |
| Sugar | 11 g |
| Sodium | 1250 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
