# Yemeni Saltah with Fenugreek and Lamb

> Saltah is a thick meat and vegetable stew bubbled in a stone bowl (madra), topped with whipped fenugreek beaten to a white foam and a spoonful of fiery sahawiq. The fenugreek soaks for six hours and is whipped for five minutes until it doubles.

**Yemeni Cuisine · 90 min · 4 servings · 480 kcal per serving**

Saltah is Yemen's national dish, and the first sight of it is alarming: a bubbling stew under a cap of white foam. That foam is whipped fenugreek, and it is what gives the dish both its flavour and its texture.

## Ingredients


### The fenugreek
- 3 — Ground fenugreek, soaked for 6 hours

### The stock
- 500 — Meat, finely diced
- 1 — Onion, chopped
- 2 — Tomatoes, grated
- 1 — Potatoes, cubed
- 1 — Yemeni spice mix (hawaij)

### The sahawiq
- 3 — Tomatoes
- 3 — Hot chilli
- 3 — Garlic
- ½ — Fresh coriander

## Method

1. **Soak the fenugreek** — Soak the ground fenugreek in plenty of water for at least six hours, changing the water twice to draw out the bitterness. Drain it thoroughly at the end.
2. **Whip it to foam** — Whip the drained fenugreek with a whisk or hand blender for five minutes, adding water little by little, until it doubles in volume and turns into a white, cream-like foam.
3. **Make the sahawiq** — Pound the tomatoes, chillies, garlic and coriander in a mortar or blitz them briefly into a coarse relish, then season with salt.
4. **Cook the stew** — Brown the lamb with the onion, add the tomato, hawaij and potato with water to cover, and simmer gently for forty-five minutes until it reduces to a thick stew.
5. **Assemble and serve** — Pour the stew into a hot stone bowl or heavy pan and let it bubble, spread the whipped fenugreek over the surface and spoon sahawiq into the centre. Serve it still bubbling, with bread.

## Tips

- Changing the soaking water twice is what removes the bitterness. One change is not enough.
- The stew must be thick, not soupy — the fenugreek has to sit on top rather than sink into it.
- Saltah is genuinely served bubbling. A stone bowl holds the heat long enough to reach the table.

## FAQ

### My fenugreek is still bitter.
It was under-soaked, or the water was not changed. Soak for eight hours with three water changes.

### It would not foam up.
Either it was under-whipped or you added too much water. Whip for the full five minutes, adding water a spoonful at a time.

### Can I make it without meat?
Yes — saltah khudar is a well-known version, built on a thick vegetable stew instead of lamb.

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Source: https://hanakoleah.com/en/yemeni-cuisine/yemeni-saltah-with-fenugreek
Edited by: Marwa Mohamed
Last updated: 2026-10-29