'akwa - Traditional Yemeni Oxtail Stew |
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Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 540 Minutes |
Ready In: 550 Minutes Servings: 6 |
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This is a very traditional dish from Yemen and is made with Oxtail - hence it's name 'Akwa (this is the Yemeni word for Oxtail or literally the thickest part of the tail . It has one of the lengthiest cooking times I've encountered, but really is worth the wait (& you can get on with your chores whilst it's cooking as it needs little attention). I have a feeling that this could also be tweaked a little to accommodate crock pot cooking! 'Akwa is also commonly eaten during the month of Ramadan. Ingredients:
4 1/2 lbs oxtails, cut into pieces |
1 tablespoon black peppercorns |
1 teaspoon black peppercorns |
2 teaspoons caraway seeds |
1/2 teaspoon cardamom seed |
1/2 teaspoon saffron thread |
1 teaspoon ground fenugreek |
1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric |
salt |
2 large ripe tomatoes, peeled & chopped |
1 3/4 lbs white pearl onions |
10 garlic cloves, lightly crushed |
Directions:
1. Rinse the oxtail, then place in a large casserole & cover with water. BRing to a gentle boil over a medium heat. Reduce the heat to low & skim the surface of any foam until there is very little left.
2. Crush the peppercorns, caraway seeds & saffron together in a spice mill / coffee grinder or mortar & pestle. Stir in the fenugreek, turmeric & salt.
3. Add the tomatoes, onions, garlic & spice mix to the oxtail. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to as nlow as possible - you may find a diffuser useful for this. Cover tightly & keep on a gentle simmer for 3 hours.
4. Uncover & continue to cook until the meat is incredibly tender, for another 5-6 hours - you will see the meat falling off the bone when it hits this point and it is ready to serve!
5. To serve it in the traditional manner, serve with a rice pilaf. You could also eat this with pleny of bread & salad.
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