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Mrouzia
Lamb with honey and raisins
Mrouzia: jammy Eid lamb with ras el hanout, honey, raisins and almonds that keeps for days
Families make a big pot of mrouzia in the days after Eid al-Adha, partly as a treat and partly as a way to keep meat: cooked down with honey, smen and spices until almost confit-like, it keeps for days, and in the past for weeks. The lamb is very tender and dark, coated in a thick, sweet-spiced sauce heavy with ras el hanout, cinnamon and saffron, with plump raisins and fried almonds on top. Serve small portions with bread and a sharp salad to balance the richness. The usual mistake is adding the honey too early, so it catches and turns bitter before the lamb is tender. Chef's tip: add the honey only once the meat is tender; added early, it scorches on the base during the long cook.
- Total time
- 150 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 3 ⅓ lb lamb neck or shoulder on the bonein large pieces
- 1 oniongrated
- 2 tbsp smenmade from pasteurised butter, or ghee
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp ras el hanout
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch saffron threadscrumbled
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 3 cups water
- 7 oz golden or dark raisinssoaked in warm water for 20 minutes
- 4 tbsp honey
To finish
- 3 ½ oz blanched almonds
- 2 tbsp vegetable oilfor frying the almonds
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Put 3 ⅓ lb lamb neck or shoulder on the bone, 1 onion, 2 tbsp smen, 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp ras el hanout, 1 tsp ground ginger, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 pinch saffron threads, ½ tsp ground black pepper and 1 ½ tsp salt in a heavy pot and stir over a medium heat for 10 minutes, until the meat is coated and fragrant.
10 minStep 2: Add 3 cups water, bring to the boil, cover and simmer over a low heat for 1½ hours, until the meat is very tender and coming off the bone.
90 minStep 3: Drain 7 oz golden or dark raisins and add them with 4 tbsp honey and the rest of ½ tsp ground cinnamon. Cook uncovered over a medium-low heat for 20–30 minutes, turning the meat gently, until the sauce is thick, dark and sticky. Watch the last 10 minutes: honey catches quickly, which is the most common way to ruin mrouzia.
25 minStep 4: Meanwhile, fry 3 ½ oz blanched almonds in 2 tbsp vegetable oil over a medium heat for 4–5 minutes, stirring, until evenly golden. Drain on paper.
5 minStep 5: Serve warm, topped with the almonds and 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds. To keep it, cool quickly, refrigerate in a covered dish under its fat and eat within 4 days, reheating until piping hot.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 690 kcal
- Protein
- 42 g
- Carbs
- 44 g
- Fat
- 39 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does mrouzia take?
- About 150 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 130 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of ground ginger?
- 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger per ¼ tsp ground.
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