Yemeni Meat Broth with Fenugreek and Hawaij (Marak Temani)
A venerable Yemeni meat broth cooked for hours over low heat with hawaij spices, crowned with hilba (whipped fenugreek) on top, bringing together the depth of the broth, the warm flavor of the hawaij, and the pleasant bitterness of the fenugreek.
Spread the meat cubes over the bottom of the pot and sprinkle them with the hawaij, and brown them over medium heat with constant stirring until the spices distribute and seal the surface of the meat, then transfer them to a bowl aside. Cook the meat later until its interior reaches 71 degrees Celsius to ensure its safety.
Add the olive oil to the pot and sauté the onion and garlic for five to six minutes while scraping the bottom of the pot, because the juices that form deepen the flavor of the broth.
Return the meat and the marrow bone to the pot, and cut three deep slits into the tomatoes and add them with the bundle of cilantro, as the slit tomatoes dissolve gradually into the broth.
Cover the ingredients with the broth until they are nearly submerged, bring them to a boil, then lower the heat and let them simmer gently for ten to fifteen minutes, and add the salt and black pepper.
Cover the pot, lower the heat to the minimum, and leave it for two and a half hours until the meat begins to fall apart, because slow cooking dissolves the tough tissue and concentrates the broth.
Add the potatoes and let them boil for half an hour to forty-five minutes until they are done, the broth firms up, and the meat reaches full tenderness.
Remove the tomatoes, the marrow bone, and the bundle of cilantro before serving, and pour the broth into bowls and garnish it with fresh cilantro and the hilba on top.
Soak the fenugreek seeds in water overnight or for at least four hours, then discard the bitter soaking water and whip the seeds for two minutes, and add the tomatoes, garlic, lemon juice, and salt and whip until it becomes a uniform foam to be placed on top of the broth.
The glycemic index (GI) measures how quickly a food raises blood sugar, while the glycemic load (GL) measures how much a full serving raises it. Together they give the complete picture.
A low value (≤55) means a gradual rise in blood sugar — the most suitable range for diabetes and insulin resistance.
Glycemic load reflects the impact of the full serving. To lower it: take half a serving, or pair the recipe with a source of protein and fiber.
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet per FDA food-label reference values — your daily needs may be higher or lower. Values are derived from the recipe's ingredients via the USDA database.
The most common problems when preparing Yemeni Meat Broth with Fenugreek and Hawaij (Marak Temani), and how to fix them:
Extend the slow cooking by another half hour over low heat, as tough meat needs time for its tissue to fall apart.
Uncover the pot in the last half hour so some of the liquid evaporates, or mash some of the potatoes and return them to the broth so it firms up.
Keep the broth in an airtight container for up to three days, and keep the hilba separate and add it fresh when serving.
Freeze the broth (without hilba) for up to three months, and thaw it in the refrigerator and reheat it to a boil before serving.
| Original Ingredient | Tested Substitute | Ratio | Flavor Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| beef | cubed lamb | 900 g | A common halal substitute in Yemeni cooking with a slightly richer flavor. |
| marrow bone | bone-in meat bone | 1 piece | To add depth to the broth when a marrow bone is unavailable. |
| meat broth | chicken broth | 2400 ml | A lighter substitute when meat broth is absent, with a difference in depth. |
| potatoes | pumpkin or zucchini | 600 g | For a lower-starch option while keeping the broth's texture. |
| Ingredient | 2 servings | 4 servings | 8 servings (base) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beef | 225 g | 450 g | 900 g |
| Hawaij | 5 g | 11 g | 21 g |
| Onion | 55 g | 110 g | 220 g |
| Tomatoes | 120 g | 240 g | 480 g |
| Meat broth | 600 ml | 1200 ml | 2400 ml |
| Potato | 150 g | 300 g | 600 g |
| Fenugreek seeds | 20 g | 40 g | 80 g |
| Coriander | 15 g | 30 g | 60 g |
Soak the fenugreek seeds overnight and discard the soaking water, as this step removes most of the bitterness and gives the hilba its creamy foam.
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