Lamb

A whole spit-roasted lamb is the classic Easter feast for most Greeks. But this recipe for roast leg of lamb with potatoes is popular too. It is just as tasty, yet simpler to prepare and more suitable for smaller gatherings. The variation with artichokes makes the dish a full meal. Read more »

Harira is a soup from the Maghreb region of North Africa that is especially popular as an iftar meal to break the daily fast during Ramadan. There are innumerable variations of this hearty, healthy soup, but most recipes are for chunks of lamb slow simmered with tomatoes, chickpeas, spices and herbs. Read more »

Even though this dish--known as ballymaloe, or stobhach gaelach in the Irish language--is very basic and has its origins in hard times, it is quite simply delicious. In the old days, this hearty stew was made with simple mutton neck bones and meat scraps for flavor. Sometimes mutton or young goat meat was used. In the last few decades it has become much more common to use milder flavored lamb. Read more »

Kalam polo is a hearty, filling pilaf scented with cinnamon and saffron. Sometimes spelled kalam polow, or kalam pollo. Kalam is Farsi for cabbage. Read more »

Spiced meatballs are common in one form or another from Morocco in the west through the Middle East (kefta or kufta), to Greece (keftedes), Turkey (köfte), Armenia (kyufta), Iran (kufteh, or koofteh) and all the way to India (kofta) in the east. All names for these little balls of wonder derive from the Persian verb kuftan, which means "to grind." Read more »

Khoresht ghaimeh, sometimes spelled khorest-e ghaimeh, is a hearty, warming Persian stew that is in the repertoire of every Iranian cook. The lamb and split peas melt together in flavor and texture during the long simmering period. Read more »

This khoresht, or stew, takes hearty chunks of lamb and melds them together with the deep flavor of dried plums to create a rich dish with a sweet bent. A variation, khoresht-e esfenaj aloo, adds spinach to the stew. Sometimes spelled khoresh alu. Read more »

Lahm lhalou, Arabic for "sweet meat," is a very popular dish in Algeria, especially during the month of Ramadan. The daylong fast is broken first with dates, then with mouthfuls of this unctuous and fragrant dish of tender lamb simmered with sweet fruits. Normally, no salt is added to the dish so as not to cause thirst during the next day's fast. But you can add a little if you like. Other common spellings: l'ham lhalou; el ham lalou. Read more »

Maqluba (مقلوبة) is Arabic for "upside-down," which is how this popular Palestinian dish of rice, eggplant and meat is served. Read more »

Rogan josh is classic of Kashmiri cuisine. Some preparations are very lavish with lots of sweet spices and liberal amounts of cream. The name rogan josh means "red meat," and reflects the reddish color of the dish. Read more »

Korma is a mild, creamy curry thickened with ground nuts and with origins in the Mughlai cuisine of the 16th century. While there are endless variations to the basic recipe, shahi korma is typically made with mutton or lamb. Read more »

Shawarma is popular throughout the eastern Mediterranean and is sometimes called the Middle Eastern taco. It originated in northwestern Turkey as döner kebab. But it reached its current form and popularity with the Turkish population in Germany. The sandwich is now found in a variety of forms around the world. Read more »

Shuan yang rou, or Mongolian hot pot as it is often known in the West, is a very popular Chinese dish, especially in Beijing, and is primarily eaten in winter, when cold winds blow down from Mongolia. It particularly popular for Chinese New Year. Yang rou is Mandarin for lamb, the favored meat for this dish. Shuan can be roughly translated as "to swish." Read more »