# 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.

**Sudanese Cuisine · 85 min · 5 servings · 380 kcal per serving**

'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.

## Ingredients


### The meat
- 600 g — meat, cubed
- 1 — onion, chopped
- 4 cloves — garlic, crushed
- 3 tbsp — oil

### Broth
- 3 tbsp — tomato paste
- 3 — tomatoes, grated
- 1 tsp — cumin
- 1 tsp — ground coriander
- 0.5 tsp — chilli
- 1 tsp — salt

### The potatoes
- 800 g — potatoes, cut into large pieces
- 0.5 cup — oil for frying

### The tempering
- 2 tbsp — ghee
- 4 cloves — garlic, crushed

### To serve
- 0.25 cup — fresh coriander

## 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.
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.

## Tips

- 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.

## FAQ

### 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.

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Source: https://hanakoleah.com/en/sudanese-cuisine/sudanese-mullah-bamby-with-potato-and-meat
Edited by: Marwa Mohamed
Last updated: 2026-10-30