Bazella w Riz
بازيلا ورز·(ba-zel-la w riz)
Tabkha Yawmiye: The Weeknight Tanjara
This is the smell of a Tuesday evening in a Lebanese household, the ultimate expression of the daily meal. The magic of this dish lies not in expensive ingredients, but in two ancient techniques: cutting an affordable steak into micro-cubes so it sears in minutes, and the takliya—a brief, violent frying of garlic and cilantro that forms the aromatic soul of the broth. It is a humble, deeply comforting pea and beef stew poured over toasted vermicelli rice, and it is exactly what home tastes like.
Before you start
Master the Ras Asfour technique.
The secret to a fast weeknight stew is the traditional 'bird's head' cut. Spend the time upfront to dice your steak into tiny half-inch cubes. This ensures the meat sears instantly and avoids the need for a long, heavy braise.
Blend your own 7-Spice.
If you have a pre-mixed Middle Eastern Sabaa Baharat blend, simply use 1 1/2 teaspoons in place of the individual allspice, cinnamon, and black pepper listed here.
Ingredients
- ground allspice1 tsp
- ground cinnamon1/2 tsp
- ground black pepper1/4 tsp
- olive oil2 tbsp
- tender beef steak1 lb
- kosher salt2 1/2 tsp
- yellow onion1 med
- garlic cloves6 med
- fresh cilantro1 bunch
- tomato paste3 tbsp
- crushed tomatoes15 oz
- beef broth3 cup
- frozen green peas16 oz
- carrots3 large
- long-grain white rice2 cup
- unsalted butter2 tbsp
- crushed vermicelli noodles1/2 cup
- boiling water3 cup
Method
- 01
Sear the meat.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the diced beef, season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and the allspice, cinnamon, and black pepper. Sear until deeply browned, about 5 to 7 minutes, then remove the beef and its juices to a plate.
- 02
Build the takliya.
Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pot. Sauté the diced onion for 3 minutes until translucent. Push the onions to the edge, drop the crushed garlic and chopped cilantro directly onto the hot pan, and let them fry for 45 to 60 seconds until highly fragrant and wilted into a dark green paste.
- 03
Toast the tomato paste.
Stir the tomato paste into the garlic and cilantro mixture, frying for 2 minutes until it deepens to a dark brick color to neutralize the raw canned flavor.
- 04
Simmer the stew.
Pour in the crushed tomatoes and beef broth. Return the seared beef to the pot along with the diced carrots. Bring to a rolling boil, then cover and simmer on low for 15 to 20 minutes to tenderize the carrots and beef.
- 05
Finish with the peas.
Uncover the pot, stir in the frozen peas, and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Taste the broth and season with 1 teaspoon of salt, adjusting as needed.
- 06
Toast the vermicelli.
While the stew simmers, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the vermicelli noodles and stir constantly until they turn a deep, nutty golden brown.
- 07
Steam the rice.
Add the rinsed rice to the vermicelli, stirring for a minute to coat the grains in butter. Pour in the boiling water and the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt, cover tightly, reduce heat to the lowest setting, and cook for 15 minutes. Let it steam off the heat for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
Notes
Serve with intention.
Ladle the rich stew generously over a bed of the fluffy vermicelli rice. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice over the top provides the perfect hit of acidity.
Leave the peas in the freezer until the last moment.
Do not thaw your peas. Adding them straight from the freezer at the very end ensures they retain their bright green color and don't turn into mush.
From Cook Lebanese in America.