Salona

Ingredients

Meat

• 1 kglamb or beef, on the bone, in pieces
• or 1 kg firm fish, in steaks

Base

• 3 tbspoil or ghee
• 2onions, chopped
• 6 clovesgarlic
• 3cm ginger
• 4tomatoes, chopped
• 2 tbsptomato purée

Spice

• 2 tbspbezar, Emirati spice mix
• 1 tspturmeric
• 1 tspground cumin
• 1 tspground coriander
• 2dried limes, loomi, pierced
• 1cinnamon stick
• salt

Vegetables

• 3potatoes, in chunks
• 3carrots
• 1courgette
• 1aubergine
• 1green pepper
• 150 ggreen beans

Also

• 1.5 litreswater
• juice of 1 lemon
• 2green chillies

To serve

• white rice
• khubz, flatbread

Directions

1. Pierce them two or three times with a knife before they go in. Heat the oil and cook the onions over a medium heat for 10 minutes until soft and golden. Add the garlic and ginger and cook a minute.
2. Add the tomato purée and fry it 2 minutes until it darkens. Frying the purée takes away its raw metallic edge, which is a step worth the two minutes.
3. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook them down until they collapse and the oil separates. Wait for the oil to rise and separate, which is the sign the base is properly cooked.
4. Pour in the water, add the pierced dried limes, cinnamon stick and salt, and bring to a simmer. Simmer, covered, for an hour to an hour and a half until the meat is tender.
5. Keep it at a gentle simmer rather than a boil, which toughens the meat. Now add the vegetables in order of how long they take.
6. Add the green chillies whole for the last 10 minutes. It should be clearly sour, from both the dried limes and the lemon, with the spice behind it.
7. Serve it in bowls alongside a mound of white rice, with the broth ladled generously over.

Technique

• Bezar is sold ready-mixed in Gulf shops and every household has a preferred blend.
• Hamour and kingfish are the usual fish, and any firm white fish works.
• It is better the next day and the vegetables soften further.

Substitutions

• A mix of cumin, coriander, turmeric and cinnamon in place of bezar.
• Chicken in place of lamb, which cooks faster.

Variations

• Made with fish, which is common on the coast.
• Saloona, the Bahraini version.
• Vegetarian, with chickpeas and more vegetables.

History

Everyday tomato-based stew of meat or fish with vegetables, ladled over rice.

Frequently asked questions

What is Salona?

Salona is a soup & stew from United Arab Emirates: everyday spiced tomato stew of meat or fish. Everyday tomato-based stew of meat or fish with vegetables, ladled over rice.

How long does Salona take to make?

Salona takes 25 min of preparation and 1 hr 30 min of cooking. The recipe makes 6 servings. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Salona?

Yes, within limits. A mix of cumin, coriander, turmeric and cinnamon in place of bezar. Chicken in place of lamb, which cooks faster.

What is the most important thing to get right in Salona?

Keep it at a gentle simmer rather than a boil, which toughens the meat. Now add the vegetables in order of how long they take.