Bone-in Lamb Shoulder Tharid with Autumn Vegetables Recipe
This magnificent one-pot wonder transforms lamb shoulder into melt-in-your-mouth tenderness, surrounded by sweet butternut squash and delicate gourd in a richly spiced, butter-enriched broth. The torn barley bread underneath soaks up all those gorgeous cooking juices, creating layers of incredible flavour and texture.
Ingredients
- For the lamb and spice base:
- 800g lamb shoulder on the bone, cut into 4 large pieces with some fat left on for flavour
- 40g butter, plus an extra knob for finishing
- 2 large onions, finely sliced (about 300g)
- 5 large cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1½ teaspoons sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1½ teaspoons ground turmeric
- 6 whole black cloves
- 8 whole green cardamom pods, lightly crushed with the back of a knife
- 400g tin chopped tomatoes, or 4 fresh tomatoes, roughly chopped
- For the vegetables:
- 400g gourd, peeled and cut into 4cm chunks (bottle gourd or marrow work beautifully)
- 400g butternut squash, peeled and cut into 4cm chunks
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into thick rounds (about 250g)
- 1 litre good quality lamb or vegetable stock, hot
- Large handful fresh coriander, roughly chopped (about 30g), plus extra for serving
- For serving:
- 4 large pieces barley bread, torn into rough chunks (about 200g total)
- Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Directions
Step 1
Heat a large, heavy-bottomed casserole or deep pan over medium-high heat and add the butter, letting it melt and foam beautifully. Once the butter starts to smell nutty and gorgeous, add your lamb shoulder pieces and brown them really well on all sides for about 8-10 minutes total, working in batches if needed so you don't overcrowd the pan. This initial browning is crucial for building deep, rich flavour into your tharid, so don't be shy about getting proper colour on that meat. Remove the browned lamb to a plate and set aside whilst you build your flavour base.
Step 2
In the same pan with all those lovely browned bits, add your sliced onions and cook them over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they're soft, golden, and starting to caramelise at the edges. The onions should smell absolutely incredible and have reduced down significantly. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 2 minutes until fragrant, stirring constantly so it doesn't catch and burn. This is where the magic happens, as the garlic releases its aromatic oils and mingles with the sweetened onions.
Step 3
Now add your ground coriander, turmeric, salt, black pepper, cloves, and crushed cardamom pods to the pan, stirring everything together for about 1-2 minutes until the spices become wonderfully fragrant and coat the onions evenly. You'll notice the colour transform into a gorgeous golden-yellow hue. Add the chopped tomatoes and stir well, letting them break down and cook for 5 minutes until they've thickened slightly and lost their raw edge. If the mixture looks a bit dry, don't worry, the stock is coming soon.
Step 4
Return your browned lamb pieces to the pan, nestling them into the spiced tomato mixture, then pour in the hot stock until the lamb is almost completely covered. Bring everything to a gentle boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and let it simmer very gently for 1 hour and 15 minutes. The lamb should be getting tender but not quite falling off the bone yet. Check occasionally and give it a gentle stir, adding a splash more water if the liquid level drops too much.
Step 5
After the initial cooking time, add your gourd chunks, butternut squash, and carrot rounds to the pot, gently pushing them down into the liquid. The vegetables should be mostly submerged but it's fine if some pieces peek out. Cover again and continue simmering for another 45-50 minutes until the lamb is absolutely tender and falling off the bone, and the vegetables are soft enough to cut with a spoon but still holding their shape. The gourd and squash will have absorbed all those gorgeous spices and become meltingly soft.
Step 6
Whilst the stew finishes cooking, prepare your barley bread by tearing it into rough, rustic chunks, each about 5-7cm across. Don't worry about making them uniform, the irregular shapes will soak up the broth differently and create lovely texture. If your bread is particularly fresh and soft, you can lightly toast the pieces in a dry pan for 2-3 minutes to give them a bit more structure, but this is optional.
Step 7
Once everything is beautifully tender, taste your broth and adjust the seasoning with more salt if needed. Stir through most of your fresh coriander, saving some for garnish, and add that final knob of butter, stirring gently until it melts into the sauce and gives it a gorgeous glossy finish. The butter adds a silky richness that brings everything together. If your sauce seems too thick, add a splash of hot water; if it's too thin, simmer uncovered for 5 minutes to reduce it slightly.
Step 8
To serve in the traditional tharid style, arrange your torn barley bread pieces in the bottom of a large, shallow serving bowl or individual bowls. Ladle the hot lamb and vegetables over the bread, making sure each serving gets a good piece of lamb on the bone and a mix of all the vegetables. Spoon plenty of that glorious, spice-infused broth over everything, allowing the bread to soak it all up for a minute or two. Scatter over the remaining fresh coriander, drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil, and serve immediately whilst it's piping hot. The bread on the bottom will have absorbed all those incredible flavours and become soft and luxurious, whilst any bread on top stays slightly chewy, creating beautiful layers of texture.
Nutrition per serving
Sunnah
Learn simple practices and etiquettes found in the tradition that transform every meal into an act of worship, increase you in beneficial knowledge and add barakah into every bite.
Sacred Guidance
Lamb
The Prophet ﷺ ate lamb shoulder and prayed without performing wudu.
Bread
And two other servants went to jail with Joseph. One of them said, 'I dreamt I was pressing wine.' The other said, 'I dreamt I was carrying some bread on my head, from which birds were eating.'
Butter
The Prophet ﷺ liked butter and dates.
Barley
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would spend many consecutive nights and his family did not have supper, and most of the time their bread was barley bread.
Garlic
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was staying with Abu Ayyub. When he ate some food, he would send what was left to him. So one day he sent him some food but the Prophet ﷺ did not eat from it. So Abu Ayyub went to the Prophet ﷺ and mentioned that to him. The Prophet ﷺ said: 'It contained garlic.' So he said: 'O Messenger of Allah! Is it unlawful?' He said: 'No, I dislike it because of its odour.'
Onions
And recall when you said, 'O Moses, we can never endure one kind of food. So call upon your Lord to bring forth for us from the earth its green herbs and its cucumbers and its garlic and its lentils and its onions.'
Olives
Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth... lit from the oil of a blessed tree, an olive, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil would almost glow even if untouched by fire. Light upon light.
Olive Oil
Eat olive oil, and anoint with it, for it is from a blessed tree!
Prophetic Etiquette
Sit down to eat, rather than eating while standing or walking.
Eat from what is nearest to you on the plate, and do not reach across for food that is distant.
Take small morsels of food, and chew your food well.
Do not blow on hot food or drinks; allow them to cool naturally.
Do not eat or drink from gold or silver utensils.
Lick your fingers clean before wiping them, as there may be barakah in what remains on them. Then wash your hands.
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