Marqat bazila'(peas stew)

Updated: Dec 28, 2019

Iraqi cuisine consists of a variety of Marqat (Stew) dishes daily, especially at lunchtime. The most popular dishes during lunchtime are some type of Marqat or a stew, rice, chicken or lamb or beef or fish, salad, yogurt, and watermelon. These ingredients must have on the lunch table almost every day. In the Iraqi home lunch is the biggest meal of the day, which is around 2 or 3 pm. (Check out the website for different types of Marqat or stew recipes).

This is a simple, easy, and fast recipe to cook and enjoy. You can add any of your favorite meats to it, it can be ground beef, cubed beef, cubed lamb, or even cubed chicken breast. You can also turn this dish into a veg dish without any meat if you prefer, it will still taste as delicious. Marqat bazila (peas stew) is a traditional Iraqi dish, it can be eaten with basmati rice or as a dip with pita bread.

Ingredient

1 lb ground beef or cubed beef or cubed lamp or cubed chicken
1 large onion chopped
4 to 5 tablespoon olive oil
Salt as preferred
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon coriander powder
1 tablespoon paprika

Instruction

In a large pot place the ground beef and let it cook fully then add the onion, olive oil, salt, cumin, ground black pepper, coriander powder, and paprika. Let it cook for 10 minutes or until the onion is tender.

Ingredients

1 large tomato chopped
3 cups peas
1- 6oz can tomatoes paste
4 to 5 cups of water
3 to 4 tablespoon olive oil
Salt as preferred
1 lemon juice

Instruction

In a pot of ground beef and onion, add peas and tomatoes cook for about 5 minutes or until the tomatoes are tender and mixed well with the other ingredients. Cover the pot and put on low heat for about 10 minutes or until the peas become tender. Then add the tomato paste, water, olive oil, salt, and lemon juice. Cook on high heat until all the ingredients are incorporated for about 10 to 15 minutes. Then lower the heat and let it simmer for about 15 minutes.