Sudanese Mullah Bamby with Potato and Meat
Potatoes disintegrate in the stew because they went in raw. The Sudanese fix is to fry the potatoes in oil first until they colour on the outside — that browned crust protects them so they stay in whole pieces however long the stew cooks.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 70 min
- Total
- 85 min
- Calories
- 380
'Bamby' means potatoes in Sudan, and mullah bamby is one of the most common everyday stews. Potatoes and meat in a seasoned tomato broth, eaten with kisra, aseeda or bread. Cheap, filling, and done in an hour.
Method
-
1
Brown the meat
Brown the meat with the onion in the oil for 10 minutes until coloured, then add the garlic, cumin, coriander and chilli.
⏱ 13 min -
2
The broth
Add the tomato paste and grated tomatoes and stir for 5 minutes, then water to cover the meat, and the salt.
⏱ 8 min -
3
Cook the meat
Cover and simmer gently for 45 minutes until the meat is tender.
⏱ 45 min -
4
Fry the potatoes — the critical step
In a separate pan, fry the potato pieces in oil over high heat for 6 minutes until coloured on the outside only. Drain them.
⏱ 9 min -
5
Combine
Put the fried potatoes into the stew and give them just 15 minutes to cook through. Do not stir much — shake the pot instead.
⏱ 16 min -
6
The tempering
Heat the ghee with the garlic until fragrant (a minute) and pour it over the stew, stirring once.
⏱ 3 min -
7
Serve
Scatter the fresh coriander and serve hot with kisra, aseeda or bread.
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Tips that actually matter
- Fry the potatoes before they go into the broth — that is the difference between whole pieces and mush.
- Shake the pot instead of stirring with a spoon once the potatoes are in.
- The tempering goes on after the heat is off — the garlic aroma is lost if it cooks.
- Large potato pieces beat small ones — they stand up to the cooking better.
People also ask
What does 'bamby' mean?
Bamby is the Sudanese word for potatoes. And mullah is the stew or sauce eaten with kisra or aseeda.
Why do my potatoes fall apart?
They went in raw and sat too long. Frying first creates a crust that holds the piece together, and their time in the broth should not exceed 15 minutes.
Can I make it without meat?
Yes — a vegetarian version with just onion and tomato is also common, eaten during fasting and on tight budgets.
Cook mode
Sudanese Mullah Bamby with Potato and Meat
-
1
Brown the meat
Brown the meat with the onion in the oil for 10 minutes until coloured, then add the garlic, cumin, coriander and chilli.
-
2
The broth
Add the tomato paste and grated tomatoes and stir for 5 minutes, then water to cover the meat, and the salt.
-
3
Cook the meat
Cover and simmer gently for 45 minutes until the meat is tender.
-
4
Fry the potatoes — the critical step
In a separate pan, fry the potato pieces in oil over high heat for 6 minutes until coloured on the outside only. Drain them.
-
5
Combine
Put the fried potatoes into the stew and give them just 15 minutes to cook through. Do not stir much — shake the pot instead.
-
6
The tempering
Heat the ghee with the garlic until fragrant (a minute) and pour it over the stew, stirring once.
-
7
Serve
Scatter the fresh coriander and serve hot with kisra, aseeda or bread.
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