Name: Quince and Lamb Stew (Safarjaliyeh)
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: ½ teaspoon (2 grams) Aleppo spice mix (Al-Bhar Al-Halabi), plus more for serving (see note); 2 to 3 cloves (to taste); 7 cups (1650 milliliters/1 kilogram) fresh pomegranate juice (or 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses mixed with 7 cups of water); 7 cups (1650 milliliters/1 kilogram) tomato juice (or 1 tablespoon tomato paste mixed with 7 cups of water); 4 cups (945 milliliters) hot water; 1 onion (250 grams), peeled but left whole; 2 kilograms lamb shanks or 1.2 kilograms boneless leg of lamb, cut into 4- to 5-cm (1 ½- to 2-inch) chunks; 3 bay leaves; 1 teaspoon (5 grams) freshly ground black pepper; 6 to 8 cardamom pods (to taste); ½ teaspoon sour salt (or 2 tablespoons/5 grams lemon juice); 2 tablespoons crushed garlic (20 grams); 2 tablespoons lemon juice; 150 grams ground lamb fat (optional); 1 cinnamon stick (6 to 7 cm/2¼ to 2 ¾ inches); 1 tablespoon dried mint; 1 teaspoon (4 grams) salt; Water, for the quinces

Preparation info

8
servings

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

The Cuisine of Life

By Center for International Private Enterprise

Published 2019

About

A sprinkle of dried mint ties together the aroma and flavor of the sweet quince combined with the sour notes of pomegranate molasses and tomato paste. For Sawsan, all these ingredients create a magnificent symphony of tastes. You can serve safarjaliyeh with kibbeh or add kibbeh directly to the pot. (Safarjaliyeh with chickpea-size bulgur balls and kibbeh is called Analı, Kızlı, which means “Mothers and Daughters” in southeastern Turkey.) Some cooks use chicken rather than lamb.