The autumn transition has begun, and it’s apparent in my home because the start of the festive season is upon our household. Something particularly beautiful about a Sephardic Rosh Hashanah table is the abundance, colours in many dishes, and that it’s filled with foods that carry a little more meaning than what might first appear on the plate.
In my family, with our Egyptian roots and Sephardic traditions, the New Year is marked not only by gathering around a beautiful table, but by the simanim—symbolic foods accompanied by blessings for the year ahead. Lucky for me, I get to have more than one New Year celebration, so good food is always on the menu.
I opted to put a little twist on a classic dish that my family loves, and quite a common dish you’ll find in many households. Rather than simply apples and honey, our seder (yehi ratzon) blessings brings together foods such as dates, leeks, black-eyed peas, or squash, and other ingredients chosen for the hopes they represent: sweetness, prosperity, abundance, and a good year to come.
I wanted to make Lahm Basal, also known in some families as Kabab Halla (or Kebab Hala), as we make it with beef or lamb. This is not by any means a special ocassion dish, it’s quite a typical everyday staple dinner. This one is made with a twist, using my homemade ras el hanout spice blend because I had it on hand. This is one of those wonderfully unfussy dishes that becomes something extraordinary with time. The name essentially translates roughly to kabab or “meat in a pot,” and the preparation is wonderfully simple: a rich comforting meal that’s versatile and can feed a lot of people.
I love this time of the season because it makes the meal feel almost like a conversation with the year ahead; every dish has a little story to tell. But let’s get into what I’ve prepared for you.
The mountain of onions gradually melts down, allowing the beef to transform into a deeply rich mahogany colour and adding a naturally sweet, savoury flavour. There is no cornflour-heavy gravy here and very little fuss—just delicious ingredients, patience, and the gentle alchemy of slow cooking.
What to serve with this?
Served alongside the simanim, warm bread, and the other dishes as part of the feast, this is the kind of meal that invites everyone to linger a little longer around the table, whether they’re attending for the first time with a loved one or celebrating afar.
L’Shanah Tovah—to a sweet, abundant, and beautiful year ahead.
Egyptian Braised Beef & Onions (Rosh Hashanah)
Description
Kabab Halla (or Lahm Basal), is a traditional Egyptian Jewish everyday meal with a naturally sweet, onion sauce. This one is with a twist of spices using ras el hanout.
Ingredients
Method:
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Prep:
- Thinly slice all the onions. Set aside.
- Pat the beef dry with kitchen paper towels, and season both sides of the meat with 1 teaspoon of ras el hanout and half of the salt. Save the remaining ras el hanout and salt, we will use it in Step.
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Cooking the Beef:
- In a 4 Qt. (3.78 L)-capacity Dutch oven, or braiser, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the beef to the pan and sear the beef on all sides, (3 to 4 minutes), until browned. Give it a good sear, this adds flavour. Remove the beef from the pan, leaving the oil and juices in the pan, and set aside on a large plate.
- Add the sliced onions to the pan and cook until the onions are opaque and slightly turning brown, about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring the onions as it cooks. Add the black pepper, and the remaining ras el hanout, and salt. Then, add the bay leaves, and garlic. Cook further for 1 minute.
- Place the beef back in the pan. Stir in the stock or broth. Cover with a lid, cook for 20 to 25 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325°F (175°C).
- Switch off the heat on the hob, and place the pan, covered, in the oven for 1 hour 30 minutes, or until the beef is fork tender, stirring the pot every 20 or 25 minutes to make sure that the meat does not become too dry.
- Check the meat that it’s tender, and the onions have melted in the sauce. Remove the lid and allow the sauce to reduce a bit for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring and adjusting liquid, if needed. Season with additional salt and black pepper to taste.
- Remove from the oven. Garnish with fresh chopped coriander or parsley. Slice, plate and enjoy!
Serve with pita bread and rice, or with alternatives mentioned in the FAQs below.
Storage: This will keep in the refrigereator for up to 3 days. Freeze for up to 3 to 4 months.
Note
For this recipe, I used a top-blade cut and left it whole. I like a blade steak for this because it is a bit more tender, flavourful, and has a good amount of fat for this dish to give it the richness needed. If you are using a slow cooker you can just use a chuck roast. Both cuts are taken from the shoulder (chuck primal) area of the cow, and will work well.
This recipe uses kosher salt. This is a lot of meat and it needs to be seasoned. Depending on the brand of kosher salt you use, you may or may not need to season it a bit more but I recommend following the recipe, then sprinkle more if needed before serving.
FAQs
What is the least amount of beef I should use?
This recipe calls for 2.5 pounds to 3 pounds (1.2 kg to 1.4 kg) beef. I would use 2.5 pounds (that's exactly 1.14 kg) if you aren't feeding a large crowd.
Money Saving Tips: Since this is for a holiday meal, splurge and get a decent cut of beef. But, wherever you are located, get what is locally available and in your budget. You will need minimum 2.5 pounds. Perhaps, at least one or even two months before you want to make this, see if you can find sales on beef or lamb. If you aren't entertaining or don't have a large family, think of this as many meals to have in the freezer, because the leftovers will be delicious!
What can I serve with this?
Serve this dish with Egyptian rice (Roz bil shareya), a vermicelli and rice blend, or serve this with saffron rice, roasted potatoes, flatbread, or any favourite mezze-style dishes. We like to serve this usually with Egyptian rice, or saffron rice with pistachios or almonds, and aish biladi (Egyptian pita bread), alongside a spicy cucumber salad, etc.
If you’re making this kosher meal, serve the cucumber salad with tahini, and a drizzle of olive oil. Toss with with fresh herbs and harissa, or your favourite chilli pepper sauce.
Do I need a braiser?
Not at all! You can use a 4 Qt. (3.78 L) Dutch oven or even a wide-rimmed ceramic pan, if you don't have a braiser — the beef and a generous amount of onions are cooked slowly together until the onions completely surrender into a deeply caramelised, silky sauce. Traditionally, the proportions are nearly equal by weight (beef to onion ratio), so you will need a vessel that can hold the amount of liquid that comes from the beef and onions. I have even used a medium-sized tagine before.
What other oils can I use?
To keep this Kosher, you can use olive oil, as I have in this recipe.
For anyone making this dish typically, you may also use olive oil, regular butter, vegetable oil, or ghee. Ghee is traditionally used for this dish when not making this Kosher.
