Hearty Yemeni Saltah Stew (Printable)

A flavorful Yemeni stew featuring tender meat, spiced broth, fenugreek foam, and flatbread layers.

# What you'll need:

→ Meat & Base

01 - 1.1 lb beef or lamb, cut into 0.8-inch cubes
02 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
03 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
06 - 1 green chili, finely chopped (optional)
07 - 1 medium potato, cubed
08 - 1 medium carrot, diced
09 - 4 cups water or beef broth
10 - 1/2 tsp ground cumin
11 - 1/2 tsp ground coriander
12 - 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
13 - 1 tsp ground turmeric
14 - 1/2 tsp ground fenugreek
15 - 1 tsp salt, or to taste

→ Fenugreek Topping (Hulbah)

16 - 2 tbsp ground fenugreek seeds
17 - 0.33 cup water (plus more for soaking)
18 - 1 small tomato, finely diced
19 - 1 small bunch cilantro, chopped
20 - 1 green chili, minced (optional)
21 - Juice of 1/2 lemon
22 - Pinch of salt

→ Bread Layer

23 - 2 large Yemeni flatbreads (malawah or lahoh), or substitute pita

# Method:

01 - Heat vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté chopped onions until golden. Add garlic, green chili, and meat cubes and brown evenly on all sides. Stir in tomatoes, potato, carrot, cumin, coriander, black pepper, turmeric, ground fenugreek, and salt. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour in water or broth, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1 to 1.5 hours until meat is tender and vegetables are soft.
02 - Soak ground fenugreek seeds in cold water for 1 hour. Drain and discard excess water. Whisk or beat the soaked fenugreek vigorously until a light, fluffy foam forms. Fold in diced tomato, cilantro, green chili, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Set aside.
03 - Tear flatbread into bite-sized pieces and spread in the bottom of serving bowls. Ladle hot meat stew over the bread, ensuring the bread is soaked but not submerged. Spoon a generous layer of the fenugreek foam topping over each bowl.
04 - Serve immediately while hot, allowing diners to mix the layers before eating.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The layering transforms simple ingredients into something that feels ceremonial and deeply comforting in ways restaurant food rarely achieves.
  • Once you nail the hulbah foam, you'll want to make this again and again just to see people's faces when they taste it for the first time.
  • It's the kind of stew that tastes better on the second day, making it perfect for meal prep without feeling like a shortcut.
02 -
  • The hulbah foam is delicate and will deflate if you make it too far in advance—whip it no more than 15 minutes before serving, or it loses that cloud-like quality that makes people pause before eating.
  • Don't skimp on the simmering time for the stew itself; rushing it will leave you with tough meat and shallow flavors, and you'll miss the whole point of this dish.
  • The bread layer is structural and flavor-critical, not just a base—it absorbs the broth and becomes the textural heart of every spoonful, so don't substitute it with rice or skip it entirely.
03 -
  • Brown your meat thoroughly in the oil before adding liquid; this creates a depth of flavor that carries through the entire stew and makes the difference between good and unforgettable.
  • Don't drain the fenugreek seeds too aggressively when preparing the hulbah—a little residual moisture helps create that perfect foam texture that deflates too quickly when completely dry.
Return