Name: Traditional Yemenite Beef Soup (Marak Teimani)
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 3 lbs Beef stew meat (cut into 1½-2 inch chunks); 2 tbsp Olive oil or canola oil; 1 large Yellow onion (roughly chopped); 4 cloves Garlic (minced); 2-3 tbsp Hawaij for soup (the soup blend, not the coffee blend); 1 medium Tomato (grated or finely diced); 8-10 cups Water (enough to cover the beef); 3 large Russet potatoes (peeled and cut into large chunks); 3 large Carrots (peeled and cut into thick slices); 1 bunch Fresh cilantro (roughly chopped); To taste Kosher salt & fresh black pepper

Preparation Steps

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Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, 5-7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute more, until fragrant.

Add the Hawaij and stir constantly for 30-60 seconds to toast the spices and release their oils. Stir in the tomato and cook for another 2 minutes.

Add the beef, turning the chunks to coat fully in the spice mixture. Pour in water until the beef is submerged and add a generous pinch of salt.

Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface, cover, and simmer gently for 1 hour 30 minutes.

Stir in the potatoes and carrots. Cover and simmer another 45-50 minutes, until the beef is meltingly tender and the vegetables are fork-tender.

Stir in the cilantro for the last 5 minutes of cooking. Taste the broth and adjust with salt and pepper.

Serve hot, traditionally with fresh pita or warm lachuh (Yemenite flatbread) and a spoonful of spicy green zhug.

Chefs Culinary Tips

• Use Hawaij for soup, which is typically turmeric, cumin, black pepper and coriander. Hawaij for coffee is a different, sweet blend.

• Toasting the Hawaij in the oil before the liquid goes in is what gives the broth its deep golden colour and flavour.