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What's cooking? - Lebanese recipes, chefs and restaurants
What's cooking? - Lebanese recipes, chefs and restaurants

Recipes - MOUNEH

Annisa Helou’s awarma (preserved meat)

Annisa Helou’s awarma (preserved meat)

Jars of awarma, a staple of Lebanese mouneh. (Credit: Anissa Helou)

  • Preparation 30 min

    Cooking time 150 min

  • Difficulty

    Medium

Ingredients
  • 1 kilogram sheep tail fat, finely chopped by hand

  • 1 kilogram lamb (neck or shoulder), trimmed of excess fat and membranes, then cut into 5-millimeter dice by hand

  • 2 tablespoons coarse sea salt.


All ingredients
Preparation Annisa Helou’s awarma (preserved meat)

Makes 3 500-gram jars

  1. Place the fat in a large pot and heat over medium.

  2. Let it melt, stirring occasionally, then bring to a boil.

  3. Let it simmer until it is almost completely melted and turns golden, at least an hour. A few small crispy pieces of fat may remain, but that doesn’t matter.

  4. Add the meat to the boiling fat in small batches. The fat will foam up when it comes in contact with the meat.

  5. Simmer gently for one or one and a half hours, stirring regularly, until the meat is perfectly cooked.

  6. Add the salt at the end and mix thoroughly.

  7. Turn off the heat and let cool for 20 to 30 minutes before transferring the awarma to sterilized glass jars. As it cools, the fat will solidify and become lighter in color.


Annisa Helou’s awarma (preserved meat)
  • Preparation 30 min

    Cooking time 150 min

  • Difficulty

    Medium

Ingredients
  • 1 kilogram sheep tail fat, finely chopped by hand

  • 1 kilogram lamb (neck or shoulder), trimmed of excess fat and membranes, then cut into 5-millimeter dice by hand

  • 2 tablespoons coarse sea salt.


All ingredients
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Anissa Helou, chef of all trades
bio

Since her book Lebanese Cuisine, nominated for the prestigious André Simon Award and named one of the best cookbooks of 1998 by the Los Angeles Times, Anissa Helou's journey has led her to a new destination.

She has become a well-known chef, gives cooking classes and lectures, and continues to publish internationally successful books, including: Cafe Morocco (1999); Mediterranean Street Food (2002) – (which won Best Mediterranean in the English Language, 2002 Gourmand Awards); The Fifth Quarter: An Offal Cookbook (2005) – (which won Most Innovative UK Food Book, 2005 World Gourmand Awards); Savory Baking from the Mediterranean (2007); Modern Mezze (2007); Levant: Recipes and Memories from the Middle East (2013); and Feast: Food of the Islamic World (2018).

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It is unlikely you’ll find sheep tail fat in the West. However, the fat surrounding the kidneys makes a good substitute. As for the cut of meat, shoulder, neck or even leg will work perfectly well. And without a doubt, your awarma will be much better if you cut the meat and fat by hand.

One of the most common ways to enjoy awarma is with fried eggs. Use one to two tablespoons for two eggs. Heat the awarma in a skillet over medium-high heat until it sizzles. Crack the eggs into the pan and cook to your liking. Serve immediately, with pita bread or your favorite.

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