Tunisian Mloukhia

Tunisian Mloukhia

Tunisian mloukhia is different from the Middle Eastern soup of chopped leaves: it uses powder made from dried mloukhia (jute mallow) leaves, mixed with oil and cooked for hours with beef until it becomes a dark green, smooth, thick sauce. The flavor is herbal and deep, and the dish is eaten with bread.

Prep time: 25 minutes · Cooking time: about 5 hours · Yield: 8 servings · Difficulty: Medium

Mix the powder with oil before the water

Powder poured straight into water forms lumps. Stir it into cold oil to make a smooth paste, and only then add hot water gradually while whisking.

Ingredients (for 8 servings)

• 150 g finely ground mloukhia powder
• 200 ml olive oil
• 1 kg beef for long cooking, cubed, from Israeli cut 5 or 8 (chuck/shoulder)
• 1 large onion, chopped, and 8 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander, 1 teaspoon caraway, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon dried mint
• 2.5 liters hot water, plus more as needed
• Salt, pepper and one whole hot pepper (optional)

Choosing ingredients and substitutes

Look in a spice shop for “Tunisian mloukhia powder” that is green and smells fresh. Frozen leaves give a different texture and are not a substitute. You can cut the oil to 150 ml, but the sauce will be less silky and the dish will drop by about 55 calories.

Method

1. Make a paste. In a heavy, cold pot, whisk the mloukhia powder with 160 ml of the oil until there are no lumps.
2. Loosen with water. Add hot water one cup at a time, whisking. Bring to a very gentle simmer; the mixture tends to foam up.
3. Cook the base. Cook uncovered for 2.5 hours on the lowest heat, stirring from the bottom every 20 minutes. Add water if it sticks.
4. Season the meat. Mix the beef with the onion, garlic, tomato paste, remaining oil and spices. Add to the pot and stir.
5. Cook until glossy. Cook another 2–2.5 hours, until the beef is tender, the sauce is dark and glossy and a thin layer of oil appears on top. The meat should reach at least 71°C (160°F).
6. Adjust. Salt at the end and remove the hot pepper. If the sauce is too thick, add a little boiling water.

Nutrition facts and calorie estimate

All the oil was counted because it is part of the sauce. Two slices of bread usually add 150–180 calories.

Variations and tips

• Use a pot twice the volume of the liquid to prevent boil-overs early in the cooking.
• If the stew is bitter, the powder is old or the pot scorched; low heat and stirring prevent this.
• The flavor improves the next day. Keep up to 4 days in the fridge or two months in the freezer.

Summary

Tunisian mloukhia takes time but little active work: a smooth paste, low heat and meat added halfway through. A serving without bread is about 570 calories. For another green Jewish-Tunisian stew, see pkaila.