Dimlama is Central Asia’s answer to the perfect one-pot dinner — beef and a rainbow of vegetables layered in a heavy pot and slow-braised until everything turns meltingly tender. Like our Navy-Style Pasta with Ground Meat, it is humble comfort food that feeds a crowd with almost no effort.
Ingredients
- 600 g (1.3 lb) beef
- 300 g (10 oz) potatoes
- 150 g (5 oz) carrots
- 150 g (5 oz) onion
- 150 g (5 oz) bell pepper
- 1 tomato
- 150 g (5 oz) cabbage
- Garlic to taste
- Fresh parsley and cilantro to taste
- Cumin, salt, pepper to taste
- 1 cup water mixed with tomato paste
Instructions
- Traditionally dimlama is made with lamb and lamb fat; this version uses beef.
- Layer all the ingredients in a heavy pot, pour over the water mixed with tomato paste, and braise on low heat for 2 hours until everything is meltingly tender.
Tips
- Layer the vegetables under the meat — they release juices that keep everything moist during the long braise.
- For another cozy one-pot dinner, try our Baked Pasta with Bacon, Spinach and Cherry Tomatoes.
- Love slow-cooked meat? Our Juicy Marinated Roast Chicken is another hands-off favorite — and Serious Eats explains how low, slow heat turns tough cuts tender.
Nutrition: per 100 g: 116.3 kcal, protein 10.8 g, fat 8.7 g, carbs 2.3 g.