Monday, 25 May 2026
Recipe: Fatteh with meat and tomato sauce
Ingredients
For the Meat:
- 1 kilo beef tenderloin
- 1 medium onion
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon mixed spices
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 3 mastic gum pieces
- Bay leaves
- Half a lemon
For the Rice:
- 2 cups Egyptian rice
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom (optional)
- 1 beef bouillon cube (optional)
For the Sauce:
- 3 cups strained tomato juice
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- Pinch of cumin
For the Vinegar-Garlic Soup:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 5 tablespoons vinegar (about a quarter cup)
- 2 cups beef broth
For the Toasted Bread:
- 3 loaves baladi bread (Egyptian flatbread), cut into cubes
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- Pinch of salt
Preparation Steps
Cooking the Meat:
1. In a pot, melt the butter. Add the mastic and onion, and sauté until fragrant.
2. Add the beef pieces, salt, pepper, mixed spices, sugar, ground cardamom, bay leaves, and half a lemon.
3. Cover with water, bring to a boil, then decrease the heat and simmer until the meat is tender.
Preparing the Rice:
1. Rinse the rice well. In a pot, melt the butter. Add the minced garlic and stir until fragrant.
2. Add the rice, salt, black pepper, ground cardamom (optional), and bouillon cube (if using), stirring briefly.
3. Add enough water to cook the rice, cover, and simmer until done.
The Sauce:
1. In a skillet, heat the vegetable oil. Add garlic and vinegar, and sauté lightly.
2. Add the strained tomato juice and the remaining spices (salt, paprika, black pepper, sugar, and cumin).
3. Let the sauce simmer gently until it thickens and the flavor is concentrated.
Vinegar-Garlic Soup:
1. In a small saucepan, melt the butter and add the minced garlic, cooking until golden.
2. Stir in the vinegar, then add the beef broth. Allow to heat through and infuse, then remove from the heat.
Toasting the Bread:
1. Toast the bread cubes in melted butter, tossing with a pinch of salt until golden and crisp.
To Assemble:
1. First, layer the toasted bread in a serving dish.
2. Spoon the cooked rice over the bread.
3. Top with the cooked meat.
4. Pour the tomato sauce evenly over the top.
5. Finally, ladle some of the vinegar-garlic broth over everything before serving.