Libyan
Bazeen
Bazeen is a traditional Libyan barley dough shaped into a firm dome and served with a rich red lamb sauce. It is eaten communally, with potatoes, chickpeas, and boiled eggs nestled around the sauce-soaked mound.
Watch it madeummobaidahcooks · 8:53
Ingredients
- Barley flour300g
- Water for bazeen dough3 cups
- Fine salt1 1/2 tsp
- Lamb on the bone, cut into pieces300g
- Olive oil3 tbsp
- Onion, finely chopped1 medium
- Tomato paste3 tbsp
- Ground paprika1 tsp
- Libyan bzaar spice blend1 tsp
- Ground turmeric1/2 tsp
- Cayenne pepper or ground chili1/4 tsp
- Dried chickpeas, soaked overnight1/3 cup
- Potatoes, peeled and halved2 small
- Eggs2
- Water for sauce3 cups
- Fresh green chili, optional1
Method
- Put the soaked chickpeas in a saucepan, cover with water, and simmer for 35 to 45 minutes until nearly tender, then drain.
- Heat the olive oil in a heavy pot over medium heat and brown the lamb pieces on all sides.
- Add the chopped onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened and lightly golden.
- Stir in the tomato paste, paprika, bzaar, turmeric, cayenne, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, then fry for 2 minutes until the oil turns red.
- Add 3 cups water and the drained chickpeas, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 45 minutes.
- Add the potato halves and the optional green chili to the sauce, then simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until the lamb, chickpeas, and potatoes are tender.
- Meanwhile, place the eggs in a small pan, cover with water, boil for 9 minutes, then cool, peel, and set aside.
- For the bazeen dough, bring 3 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt to a strong boil in a deep pot.
- Pour the barley flour into the center of the boiling water all at once, forming a mound with water bubbling around the edges.
- Make a small hole through the center of the flour mound with the handle of a wooden spoon, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 25 minutes without stirring.
- Carefully pour off and reserve about 1 cup of the starchy cooking water from the pot.
- Beat and knead the hot barley mass vigorously against the side of the pot with a sturdy wooden spoon, adding reserved cooking water a little at a time until it becomes smooth, elastic, and firm.
- Turn the bazeen onto a large serving plate and shape it with wet hands into a smooth dome.
- Ladle the red lamb sauce around the base and over the top of the bazeen, then arrange the lamb, potatoes, chickpeas, and halved boiled eggs around it.
- Serve hot, traditionally from one shared dish, pulling pieces of bazeen and dipping them into the sauce.
Common questions
Can I substitute the lamb with beef or chicken in Bazeen, and will the cooking time change?
Yes. Beef works best as a direct swap, though it may need 15 to 30 minutes longer to become tender. Chicken cooks much faster; add it later, after the chickpeas and potatoes are partly cooked, so it doesn’t dry out.
How long does Bazeen take from start to finish, including the dough, meat sauce, and eggs?
Plan on about 2 to 2.5 hours total. The chickpeas need nearly an hour, the lamb sauce about 1.5 hours, and the eggs 9 minutes. The bazeen dough can be made while the sauce simmers.
What are the most common mistakes when making Bazeen dough?
The biggest mistakes are adding the barley flour too fast, using too little salt, or not stirring constantly. Pour the flour in gradually and keep mixing so it forms a smooth, firm dough without dry lumps or a gluey texture.
How do I store leftover Bazeen, and can I reheat it without ruining the dough?
Store the meat sauce, dough, and eggs separately if possible. Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat the sauce gently with a splash of water, and warm the dough covered so it stays soft rather than drying out.
What should I serve with Bazeen, and how is it usually eaten?
Serve Bazeen hot on a large platter with the dough in the center, sauce spooned over or around it, and lamb, chickpeas, potatoes, and eggs arranged on top. It’s often eaten by hand, pinching pieces of dough to scoop the sauce.