Saudi Mataziz with Dough and Lamb
Mataziz is a Najdi dish of flat discs of dough cooked inside a lamb and vegetable stew. The name comes from «tazz», a disc of dough. The starch from the dough releases into the broth, so it thickens on its own with no additions.
- Prep
- 35 min
- Cook
- 75 min
- Total
- 110 min
- Calories
- 460
Photo: Ali from Riyadh : ) — CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Mataziz is a Najdi winter dish through and through — a single pot with the meat, vegetables and dough together. It differs from marqooq in that its discs are smaller and a little thicker.
Method
-
1
The dough
Knead the flour with the warm water, oil and a pinch of salt into a firm dough that isn’t too soft — a little stiffer than bread dough. Cover it and leave it to rest for 30 minutes so the gluten relaxes and rolling is easier.
-
2
Browning the meat
Brown the lamb in oil over high heat until golden on all sides — 8 minutes. Don’t crowd the pot. That brown colour is the base of the broth’s whole flavour; boiling the meat straight away gives a pale broth.
-
3
The broth base
Add the onion and sauté for 7 minutes, then the garlic for a minute, then the tomato paste, frying it for 2 minutes until it darkens. Add the grated tomatoes, spices, turmeric, bay leaves and the pierced black lime.
-
4
Simmering
Cover the meat with hot water two fingers above it, bring it to the boil and skim off the foam. Cover and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes until the meat is nearly cooked. Add the carrots for the last 20 minutes.
-
5
Rolling the discs
Divide the dough into balls the size of a walnut, and flatten each one by hand or with a rolling pin into a disc 8–10 cm across and 2 mm thick. Lay them on a floured surface without letting them touch.
-
6
Adding the dough
Add the courgettes and potato, then drop the discs in one by one into the bubbling broth, stirring lightly after each one so they don’t stick. Cover and cook for 15–20 minutes over low heat.
-
7
Thickening and serving
In the last 5 minutes, stir gently — you’ll find the broth has thickened on its own from the dough starch. Taste for salt and adjust. Serve hot in deep bowls with chilli, lemon and a yoghurt salad.
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Tips that actually matter
- The dough is a little stiffer than bread dough so the discs don’t fall apart in the broth.
- Brown the meat well before simmering — it is the base of the broth’s flavour.
- Drop the discs in one at a time and stir so they don’t stick together.
- Pierce the black lime before adding it so it releases its flavour.
- Don’t stir roughly after adding the dough, so the discs don’t break.
People also ask
What is the difference between mataziz and marqooq?
Mataziz has smaller, thicker discs that go straight into the broth. Marqooq has large, paper-thin sheets that are torn into the pot. Both are Najdi and the broth is almost the same — the difference is only the shape of the dough.
The broth came out thin — what should I do?
Leave it uncovered over medium heat for 10 more minutes to reduce. The dough starch thickens it on its own, so if the discs aren’t cooked yet, wait. Don’t add cornflour — it isn’t part of the recipe and it changes the texture.
Can I use beef?
Yes, but it will need 20–30 minutes longer. Lamb gives a stronger flavour and is traditional; beef is lighter. Meat on the bone is better either way, because the marrow gives the broth body and flavour.
Can I prepare the discs in advance?
Yes — roll them out and stack them with flour or baking paper between them in the fridge for up to 24 hours. They also freeze for up to a month; drop them straight from the freezer into the broth and add 5 minutes.
Cook mode
Saudi Mataziz with Dough and Lamb
-
1
The dough
Knead the flour with the warm water, oil and a pinch of salt into a firm dough that isn’t too soft — a little stiffer than bread dough. Cover it and leave it to rest for 30 minutes so the gluten relaxes and rolling is easier.
-
2
Browning the meat
Brown the lamb in oil over high heat until golden on all sides — 8 minutes. Don’t crowd the pot. That brown colour is the base of the broth’s whole flavour; boiling the meat straight away gives a pale broth.
-
3
The broth base
Add the onion and sauté for 7 minutes, then the garlic for a minute, then the tomato paste, frying it for 2 minutes until it darkens. Add the grated tomatoes, spices, turmeric, bay leaves and the pierced black lime.
-
4
Simmering
Cover the meat with hot water two fingers above it, bring it to the boil and skim off the foam. Cover and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes until the meat is nearly cooked. Add the carrots for the last 20 minutes.
-
5
Rolling the discs
Divide the dough into balls the size of a walnut, and flatten each one by hand or with a rolling pin into a disc 8–10 cm across and 2 mm thick. Lay them on a floured surface without letting them touch.
-
6
Adding the dough
Add the courgettes and potato, then drop the discs in one by one into the bubbling broth, stirring lightly after each one so they don’t stick. Cover and cook for 15–20 minutes over low heat.
-
7
Thickening and serving
In the last 5 minutes, stir gently — you’ll find the broth has thickened on its own from the dough starch. Taste for salt and adjust. Serve hot in deep bowls with chilli, lemon and a yoghurt salad.
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