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Qatari · Gulf Arab

Margoog

Non-vegetarian

مرقوق · marqooq

Thin sheets of homemade dough simmered right in a spiced lamb and vegetable stew, so they turn silky and thicken the broth. A hearty winter and Ramadan dish in Qatar and across the Gulf.

Margoog is a Qatari stew, ready in about 2 hours 15 minutes and made with whole-wheat flour and lamb shoulder. It serves 6 and is rated intermediate to cook.

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Prep
30 min
Cook
1 h 45 min
Total
2 h 15 min
Serves
6
Level
Intermediate
Calories
563

Ingredients

6 servings

For the dough

For the stew

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Mix the flour, salt and 150 ml water into a firm dough, knead briefly until smooth and rest it, covered, while the stew cooks.

    • 8 min
    Hands kneading dough on a floured surface
    How it looks · Photo: Klaus Nielsen on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    Heat the oil and soften the onions (opens in a new tab) and garlic (opens in a new tab). Add the lamb and spices and brown lightly, then add the dried limes (opens in a new tab), tomatoes (opens in a new tab) and tomato paste (opens in a new tab).

    Food safety: Wash hands after handling raw lamb.

    Onions frying golden in a pan
    How it looks · Photo: Magda Ehlers on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Pour in the water, bring to the boil, skim and simmer, covered, until the lamb is nearly tender.

    • 60 min
    • medium-low heat

  4. Step 4

    Add the zucchini (opens in a new tab), pumpkin (opens in a new tab), carrots (opens in a new tab) and salt and simmer until almost tender.

    • 15 min
    • medium-low heat

  5. Step 5

    Roll the dough very thinly into sheets, cut into 6 cm squares and drop them one by one into the simmering stew, stirring gently so they do not stick. Simmer until the dough is cooked and the broth has thickened. Scatter with cilantro (opens in a new tab).

    A curry simmering in a pot
    How it looks · Photo: Bachir Mamud on Pexels

About this dish

Origin
Qatar · Commonly attributedMade across the Gulf and in Saudi Arabia; Qatar and the UAE both count it among their traditional dishes.Also popular in United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, KuwaitMore food from Qatar
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Stews & braises · Main courses
Cooking method
Stewed, Simmered
Taste
savoury, earthy, sour, aromatic / warmly spiced
Diet
Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · High-protein
All labelsNon-vegetarian · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · High-protein
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
One-pot
Cook more with
Whole-wheat flour · Lamb shoulder · Onion · Garlic · Cumin · Ground coriander
Techniques
Boiling · Simmering · Stewing · Knife skills · Kneading

Allergens

  • Contains: Wheatfrom whole-wheat flour
  • Contains: Glutenfrom whole-wheat flour

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

563 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 677 g · recipe makes 6

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 19%
  • Carbohydrate 31%
  • Fat 51%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy563 kcal83 kcal
Protein27 g4 g
Carbohydrate44.6 g6.6 g
Net carbohydrate37 g5.5 g
Sugars7.2 g1.1 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre7.7 g1.1 g
Fat32.9 g4.9 g
Saturated fat12.1 g1.8 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol70 mg10 mg
Sodium884 mg131 mg
Salt equivalent2.2 g0.3 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
1070 mg
Calcium
110 mg
Iron
4.2 mg
Magnesium
117 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
422 µg
Vitamin C
29 mg
Vitamin D
0.2 µg
Vitamin B12
2.2 µg
Folate (DFE)
—

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: coriander leaves.
  • Dried lime (loomi): Raw lemon peel used as a stand-in; dried limes are dehydrated whole limes and are used in small amounts for flavour.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Dust the dough squares lightly with flour so they do not stick together before they go in.

Common mistakes

  • Rolling the dough too thick — the squares stay doughy in the middle instead of turning silky.

Storage

  • Keeps 2 days in the fridge; the dough keeps absorbing broth.

Reheating

  • Add a splash of water and reheat gently.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Built from the recipe’s own sections. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 2, 4

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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