1
Bloom the powder
Whisk mloukhia powder into warm olive oil until smooth and dark.
bloom
08:00
Tunisia | Stew
Tunisian Mloukhia
Tunisian slow-cooked jute leaf stew with beef, olive oil, garlic, bay, coriander, caraway, and chili.
Country
Tunisia
Region
North Africa
Time
230 min
Serves
6
Level
medium
Recipe overview
What to know before you cook
Tunisian mloukhia is a patient, glossy green-black stew made from powdered jute leaf, olive oil, garlic, spices, and beef. It cooks slowly until the oil rises and the texture turns silky.
What the dish tastes like
Tunisian slow-cooked jute leaf stew with beef, olive oil, garlic, bay, coriander, caraway, and chili.
When to cook it
Best for Best for weekend cooking, family gatherings, and make-ahead meals., with a medium cooking level and about 230 minutes total.
What to serve alongside it
Crusty bread, lemon, pickled peppers, or salad mechouia.
Regional lane
Tunisia national table. A verified Tunisia dish in the AfroKitchen archive.
Chef watch-outs
- Stopping the base before the pepper, onion, or spice edge has mellowed.
- Thinning the pot before the body of the soup or stew has developed.
- Overcooking the greens until the color and texture collapse.
How you know it is ready
- The sauce should coat the spoon and taste rounded, not watery or raw.
- Greens should be cooked through but still look alive and glossy.
- The aroma should smell rounded rather than raw or sharp.
Recipe photos
See the dish before you cook
Each recipe supports one main image and up to four extra prep, serving, or step photos when they are available.
Chef board
Build the table around Tunisian Mloukhia
Crusty bread, lemon, pickled peppers, or salad mechouia.
Best route from here
Tunisia national table
Collections to keep cooking
How to cook it
Step-by-step method
Keep the rhythm calm, watch the texture, and adjust seasoning at the end.
4 steps
230 min total
medium
2
Add water slowly
Whisk in boiling water gradually until the stew is smooth.
whisk
08:00
3
Simmer with meat
Add beef, garlic, bay, spices, harissa, and salt, then simmer very gently.
slow simmer
180:00
4
Finish glossy
Cook until the meat is tender and oil rises to the surface. Serve with lemon.
finish
15:00
Some homes use beef, others lamb or tripe. The stew can be very spicy or warmly aromatic depending on the spice paste.