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Marka Jelbana

Name: Marka Jelbana
Total time: 75 min
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Tunisia
Ingredients: 400g Lamb; 300g Green peas; 2 Potato; 1 Onion; 2 cloves Garlic; 2 tbsp Tomato paste; 2 tsp Paprika; 1/2 tsp Chili powder; 1/2 tsp Cumin powder; 3 tbsp Olive oil; 1 1/2 tsp Salt; To taste Parsley

Main Dish

⏱ 75 min

👥 Serves 4

Difficulty ⭐

Lamb and green peas stewed in tomato sauce — a Tunisian home stew that heralds spring.

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📖 The Story Behind This Dish

Marka is the Tunisian word for a saucy stew. It's often made in spring when jelbana (green peas) are in season: lamb or beef is stewed with tomato paste and spices and finished with plenty of peas. Many families add artichokes or potatoes, and it's eaten with bread for dipping.

🌆 Where it's eaten: After buying a mound of pea pods at the spring market, a mother shells them in the kitchen with her family while preparing the evening marka.

🥕 Ingredients (serves 4)

Lamb 400g
Green peas 300g
Potato 2
Onion 1
Garlic 2 cloves
Tomato paste 2 tbsp
Paprika 2 tsp
Chili powder 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder 1/2 tsp
Olive oil 3 tbsp
Salt 1 1/2 tsp
Parsley To taste

👩‍🍳 Instructions

Heat olive oil in a pot and sauté the bite-size lamb and chopped onion.
Add the garlic, tomato paste, paprika, chili powder, and cumin and stir-fry together.
Add 600ml water and salt, cover, and simmer on low for 40 minutes.
Add the diced potatoes and simmer 10 minutes.
Add the green peas and simmer 10 minutes until tender.
Scatter with chopped parsley and serve with bread.

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