Middle Eastern · Dinner
Spiced Lamb Saffron Noodle Bowl
Lamb Balaleet Savoury Bowl
Gulf savoury take on balaleet with shredded spiced lamb over saffron-cardamom vermicelli, finished with a creamy egg ribbon, fried onion, and toasted nuts.
$$$
12 minsPrep
33 minsCook
45 minsTotal
MediumLevel
Nutrition per serving
745Calories
42gProtein
48gFat
38gCarbs
8gSugar
4gFiber
720mgSodium
280mgChol
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Instructions
1
Prep
Pat 440g lamb dry, rub with 0.5 tsp salt. Dice 200g onion and 2 small tomatoes finely; grate 4 garlic cloves. Crush 4 cardamom pods lightly. Break 140g vermicelli into 4cm pieces. Soak 2 pinches saffron in 30ml warm water 5 minutes. Slice 60g onion thinly. Toast 20g almonds and 20g pistachios; chop pistachios. Chop 10g parsley. Beat 4 eggs with 2 tsp olive oil, 0.5 tsp cardamom, and pinch salt.
2
Sear
Heat 2 tbsp ghee in a 24cm saucepan over medium-high 2 minutes until shimmering. Sear 440g lamb 6–7 minutes, turning every 90 seconds, until deeply browned on all sides. Lift to a plate.
3
Build
Lower heat to medium, add diced onion, cook 4 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic, baharat, cumin, turmeric, Aleppo pepper, cinnamon, and cardamom; toast 45 seconds. Add tomato paste, cook 1 minute. Stir in diced tomato and 0.5 tsp salt; simmer 3 minutes until softened.
4
Braise
Return lamb to pan, add 400ml hot water and 0.5 tsp salt. Bring to gentle simmer, cover, braise on low 24–25 minutes until lamb yields easily and shreds with a fork. Lift lamb to a board and reserve 300ml braising stock. Shred meat with two forks. While lamb cooks, heat 2 tbsp neutral oil in a medium pan over medium, fry sliced onion 5–6 minutes until evenly deep golden, lift to paper towel.
5
Toast
Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a small saucepan over medium 30 seconds. Add vermicelli, toast 90 seconds until evenly golden. Stir in cardamom, reserved 300ml stock, saffron with soaking water, and 0.5 tsp salt. Bring to simmer, cover tightly on lowest heat, cook 8 minutes until liquid absorbs. While vermicelli cooks, heat a small non-stick pan over medium-low 1 minute, pour in beaten egg, swirl gently 2 minutes until set into thin ribbon-like omelette. Slide onto a board, slice into 1cm ribbons.
6
Plate
Off heat, fluff vermicelli. Mound in wide bowls as base. Drape egg ribbons across as wet binder. Top with shredded lamb, scatter crisp onion, almonds, pistachios, and parsley. Serve immediately.
Recipes use AI and Edamam. Always check for allergens before cooking. Spotted something wrong—email us at hello@grubplanit.com.
Serves
2 portions ·
2 adults, 0 over 10, 0 under 10
Ingredients
- 440g (15.5 oz) lamb shoulder
- 30ml (2 tbsp) ghee
- 200g (7 oz) yellow onion
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 tsp baharat spice mix
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 0.5 tsp ground turmeric
- 0.5 tsp Aleppo pepper
- 2 small cinnamon sticks
- 4 green cardamom pods
- 2 tsp tomato paste
- 200g (7 oz) ripe tomato
- 400ml (1 3/4 cup) hot water
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 140g (4.9 oz) vermicelli noodles
- 20g (0.7 oz) ghee
- 2 pinches saffron threads
- 30ml (2 tbsp) warm water
- 0.5 tsp ground cardamom
- 300ml (1 1/4 cup) hot lamb braising stock
- 4 large eggs
- 10ml (2 tsp) extra-virgin olive oil
- 60g (2.1 oz) yellow onion
- 30ml (2 tbsp) neutral oil
- 20g (0.7 oz) flaked almonds
- 20g (0.7 oz) pistachios
- 10g (small handful) flat-leaf parsley