Arabian Margoog recipe (2024)

Margoog is an Arabian stew dish found in the Gulf region, consisting of chicken, vegetables, aromatic spices, and raw dough that is added to the stew. This flavorful dish is found in most Gulf Arab countries including Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

During my old times in Kuwait, I have learned that the food is almost similar in most Arabian Gulf regions. They have many delicious stew dishes that are rich in tomatoes, spices, and vegetables that are either eaten with bread or rice. One dish that I enjoyed so much is the Margoog or Margooga.

Margoog is very similar to Kuwaiti Tashreeb or Algerian Chakhchoukha since they are both stews containing soaked bread. The only difference is that this recipe involves using a dough that is raw. Similar to pasta, the dough is cut into pieces and is soaked into the stew directly to become soft.

This is one of the most delicious Kuwaiti or Arab Khaleeji stews since it is rich in vegetables and spices. If you love pasta, then you may enjoy this dish since it has a similar texture. In this recipe, I am going to show you how to make a Chicken Margoog or Margooga recipe which is perfect for Ramadan or Eid Holidays.

Recipe Ingredients

Here are the ingredients you will need for Margoog recipe:

Chicken: The chicken will serve as my main protein and I am using chicken drumstick. You can use the Thigh or Breast part if you want.

Tomato Paste and Fresh Tomatoes: The fresh tomatoes are grated to make a puree, and the tomato paste will add a concentrated flavor and colors to the dish.

Herbs: To enhance the flavor of the stew, you will need onion, garlic, and coriander leaves.

Spices: The spices are the most important ingredients to give an aromatic and flavorful stew dish you will need cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, turmeric, and Black Lime. In addition to that, you will need Baharat spice which is an Arabic version of Garam Masala.

Vegetables: To make this dish nutritious, I added vegetables such as potatoes, carrots and zucchini.

Dough: The ingredients of the dough are basically the same when making a flatbread recipe. If you want to know the exact ingredients of the dough, you can check my kuboos recipe using whole wheat flour, or Greek Flatbread recipe using all-purpose flour.

Other Ingredients: For the rest you will need vegetable oil for sautéing, salt & black pepper for taste

Step by Step Instruction

Steps 1 & 2: First, I heat the pan with vegetable oil at medium heat. Once it becomes hot, I sautéed both the onion and garlic till it is translucent.

Steps 3 & 4: Next, I added the chicken and gave it a quick stir before adding all the spices. Mix to combine.

Step 5: After that, I added the tomato paste. Give a quick stir.

Step 6: Next, I added the fresh tomatoes that I grated, and poured the water on the cooking pot. Let it simmer in low heat for at least 30 minutes.

Step 7: Once you reached the 20 minutes of simmering, add the chopped coriander leaves and sliced zucchini. Give a quick stir.

Steps 8 & 9: While simmering, add oil in a separate pan and partially pan-fry both the carrots and potatoes. You don't have to fully cook the vegetables since the rest will be done through the simmering process.

Step 10: Once they are half-cooked, you can transfer the half-fried potatoes and carrots to the pot. Gently stir to combine.

Steps 11 & 12: Also during the simmering process, I used my time to make a flatbread dough. Firstly, sprinkle a drop of flour on the table and then gently use a roller pin to make it into a round flatbread.

Steps 13 & 14: Next, use the knife to cut into several pieces of 2 inches square shape. Set it aside.

Step 15 & 16: Lastly, Once you reached the 30 minutes of simmering, place the raw dough into the cooking pot and gently give a stir. Let it simmer for an additional 5 minutes until the dough is cooked. Add salt and black pepper for taste.

Final Steps: Transfer to the plate and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. This delicious margoog can be eaten alone since it is basically like pasta with chicken and vegetables.

Tips and Hints

• You can use other spices like Arabic masala or chicken masala if you don't have baharat spice.
• For healthier option, you can use whole wheat dough instead of white dough.
• Make sure there are enough liquid or soup since the raw dough will tend to absorb or thicken the stew.
• You can use Lamb or Beef instead of Chicken but it will require longer time to cook them.
• You can use other vegetables like eggplant or bell pepper.
• This chicken margoog recipe can last in the fridge for up to 5-7 days.

Other Arabian stew recipes

Here are other delicious Arabic stew recipes that you can make at home:

1. Chicken Salona
2. Bamia (Okra Stew)
3. Fasolia (White Beans Stew)

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