Sudanese Mullah: Okra Stew with Lamb
Sudanese mullah is lamb cooked with onion, tomato and spices, then okra — fresh, or dried and ground as waika — which gives it its characteristic viscous body. It's served with aseeda or kisra, and unlike Egyptian cooking that viscosity is the point.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 60 min
- Total
- 75 min
- Calories
- 310
Mullah is the Sudanese word for the sauce eaten with aseeda. The slipperiness of okra that Egyptian cooks work to avoid is exactly what's wanted here, because it's what lets you lift a mouthful with your hand.
Method
-
1
Brown the lamb
Soften the onion in the oil, add the lamb, garlic and spices, and stir until the meat takes colour.
⏱ 15 min -
2
Tomato
Add the tomato paste, then the grated tomatoes and salt, and water to cover the meat. Simmer gently until the lamb is tender.
⏱ 35 min -
3
The okra
Add the sliced okra (or the ground waika slaked in water), stir, and cook for fifteen minutes over low heat. The viscosity is wanted here, so stir freely.
⏱ 16 min -
4
Serving
For a richer body, stir in a spoon of peanut flour at the end. Serve hot with aseeda, kisra or rice.
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Tips that actually matter
- Waika — dried, finely ground okra — gives a stronger body and a deeper flavour than fresh.
- Peanut flour is an authentic Sudanese addition that brings both richness and flavour.
- Unlike Egyptian okra, the sliminess here is the point — don't try to prevent it.
People also ask
How is it different from Egyptian okra stew?
Mullah is deliberately viscous and served with aseeda so a mouthful can be lifted by hand; Egyptian okra stew avoids that texture and is served with rice.
What is waika?
Dried okra ground fine. It dissolves into the sauce and gives a stronger body — available in Sudanese grocers.
Can I make it with chicken?
Yes, and it takes about half an hour.
Cook mode
Sudanese Mullah: Okra Stew with Lamb
-
1
Brown the lamb
Soften the onion in the oil, add the lamb, garlic and spices, and stir until the meat takes colour.
-
2
Tomato
Add the tomato paste, then the grated tomatoes and salt, and water to cover the meat. Simmer gently until the lamb is tender.
-
3
The okra
Add the sliced okra (or the ground waika slaked in water), stir, and cook for fifteen minutes over low heat. The viscosity is wanted here, so stir freely.
-
4
Serving
For a richer body, stir in a spoon of peanut flour at the end. Serve hot with aseeda, kisra or rice.
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