Delicious Middle Eastern Dishes: Noor Murad’s Lugma Recipes

Discover flavourful Lugma recipes from Noor Murad’s cookbook Lugma: Abundant Dishes & Stories from My Middle East. Plus, win a copy!

Noor Murad’s Lugma brings the heart of Middle Eastern cooking to your kitchen – rich with spices, stories, and unforgettable flavours. We’re sharing three standout Lugma recipes that showcase everyday meals elevated with warmth and tradition. From nostalgic comfort dishes to vibrant stews, these recipes are perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Arabic baked beans

Quick dinners as a kid were often baked beans on toast, smothered in cheddar and stuck under a hot grill until all melty. I could never be patient enough to wait either, and would burn my tongue on hot cheese lava and tomato sauce (worth it). It’s not uncommon to find some kind of white bean at a Middle Eastern breakfast table, stewed in a tomato-based sauce. This recipe is a happy amalgamation of the two. You can scoop it right out of the pan with warm pitas, or spoon it onto sourdough or baked potatoes and serve it for breakfast, lunch or even dinner. 

Serves four

Ingredients:

• 3 plum tomatoes (350g/12oz)  
• 3 tbsp olive oil 
• One onion, very finely chopped (180g/61⁄4oz) 
• Four garlic cloves, finely grated  
• 25g (1oz) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated 
• One green chilli, finely chopped, seeds and all 
• 2 tsp cumin seeds, finely crushed using a pestle and mortar 
• 2 tsp coriander seeds, finely crushed using a pestle and mortar 
• 1 tsp paprika 
• 3 tbsp tomato paste (purée) 
• 1 tsp sugar 
• Two 400g (14oz) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (480g/1lb 1oz)  
• 25g (1oz) fresh coriander (cilantro), finely chopped  
• 120g (41⁄2oz) labneh, bought or homemade (see page 101, made without the garlic), or cream cheese  
• 120g (41⁄2oz) mature cheddar, roughly grated (shredded) 
• Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 

For the topping:

• 3 tbsp olive oil 
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped  
• 15g (1⁄2oz) fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped 
• Three spring onions (scallions), green parts only, finely chopped 

Method:

Remove tomato stems, cut an X on the base, and cover with boiling water in a heatproof bowl. Leave for about two or three minutes, or just until the tomato skins visibly start to peel off. Drain, then carefully remove and discard the skins. Cut the tomatoes into quarters and set aside. 

Preheat the oven to its highest setting, placing a rack on the top shelf. 

In a large, cast-iron pan (or ovenproof sauté pan), heat the oil over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and 1⁄8 teaspoon of salt, turn down the heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and very lightly coloured. Add the garlic, ginger, green chilli, spices and tomato paste and cook for 2–3 minutes more, stirring often, until deeply red. Pour in 450ml (16fl oz) of water, then stir in the sugar, beans, tomatoes, 3⁄4 teaspoon salt and a good grind of pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the tomatoes are only just starting to lose their shape and the sauce has thickened just slightly. 

Stir in the coriander and remove from the heat. Top evenly with spoonfuls of the labneh (or cream cheese) then sprinkle with the cheddar. Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until browned and bubbling. 

Meanwhile, make the topping. Add all ingredients and a pinch of salt to a small pan. Cook gently over medium-low heat. Cook gently for about 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until softened and fragrant. Avoid browning. If it bubbles too much, lower the heat immediately. Transfer to a bowl.

When the beans are ready, spoon the topping all over the beans and serve warm. 

Fega’ata: bottom-of-the-pot chicken and rice 

Fega’ata refers to the very bottom of something, with ga’a meaning “bottom” and fe meaning “in”. Fishermen will often talk about ga’aet el bahar, meaning bottom of the sea, and in this uniquely Bahraini recipe it means ‘bottom of the pot’, where all the good stuff happens. The meat (or fish or vegetables) is left to steam and cook gently without any liquid, and the rice is piled on top. As with many of our dishes, it is inverted so that bottom is top and top is bottom. Don’t skimp on the onions as their moisture is what helps move things along. The chicken skin doesn’t get crispy here; it acts as a shield, keeping the meat nice and tender. 

Serves between six & eight. Soaking time: 20 minutes – 2 hours 

Ingredients:

• ½ tsp loosely packed saffron threads 
• 2 tsp rosewater 
• 2 tsp cumin seeds, finely crushed using a pestle and mortar 
• 2 tsp coriander seeds, finely crushed using a pestle and mortar 
• 1 tsp mild curry powder 
• 1 tsp ground turmeric 
• 1 tsp paprika 
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon 
• Two black limes: 1 finely ground to yield 1 tsp; the other broken in half, pips removed 
• 1kg (2lb 4oz) chicken thighs, bone in, skin on (about 8 thighs), patted dry 
• 100g (3½oz) yellow split peas, soaked in boiling water for at least 1 hour 
• Three onions, halved, and each half cut into 4 wedges (540g/1lb 3oz) 
• 400g (14oz) floury potatoes like Maris Piper (2–3), peeled and cut into 5cm (2in) chunks 
• One large plum tomato (130g/4¾oz), cut into 8 pieces 
• Three green chillies, left whole 
• 35g (1¼oz) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated 
• Five garlic cloves, finely grated 
• 4 tbsp melted ghee 
• Four cloves 
• Three fresh bay leaves 
• Six cardamom pods 
• 375g (13oz) basmati rice, washed until the water runs clear, then soaked for at least 20 minutes or up to 2 hours, then drained 
• 2 tbsp coriander (cilantro), roughly chopped, to serve 
• fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 

Add the saffron, rosewater and 1½ tablespoons of hot water to a small bowl and set aside. Mix together all the ground spices and ground black lime in a small bowl. Mix chicken with half the spices, salt, and pepper. Marinate in a bowl. Mix well and set aside while you continue with the rest.

Bring a medium saucepan of water to the boil. Drain the split peas, add them to the boiling water and cook for 15 minutes, until two-thirds cooked. Drain and add to a large bowl, with the onions, potatoes, tomato, green chillies, ginger, garlic, the halved black lime, remaining spice mixture, 2 tablespoons of the ghee, 1 teaspoon salt and a generous grind of pepper, and mix together with your hands. 

Half-fill a large (around 28cm/11¼in), deep-sided, non-stick saucepan with water. Bring to the boil with 2½ teaspoons of salt, then add the cloves, bay leaves, cardamom and rice. Boil for just 4 minutes, then drain through a large sieve (strainer) set over the sink. Rinse and dry out the pan. 

To assemble, spread 1 tablespoon of ghee around the base of the clean pan. Spread with half the potato mixture, then top with all the chicken thighs, skin-side down. Top evenly with the remaining potato mixture, then spoon over half the saffron water. Top gently with rice and aromatics, spreading evenly without pressing or breaking the grains. Pour over the remaining saffron water and the final tablespoon of ghee. Cover with a tea towel and lid. Tie or secure the towel ends above the pot.

Place over a medium-high heat for exactly 15 minutes, rotating the pan halfway. Then, turn down the heat to low and leave to cook, undisturbed, for 1 hour and 45 minutes. 

Remove the lid and towel and let settle for 10 minutes. Place your largest platter over the pan and, in one swift movement, invert the whole thing onto the platter. Lift off the pan and shake the platter to distribute everything nicely. Don’t worry if a few bits stick to the base of the saucepan, spoon these onto the rice. Sprinkle with the coriander and serve. 

Mathrooba: Beaten Chicken and Rice

In testing recipes for this book I’d give away food to friends, neighbours and anyone willing to give the dishes a home. My dear friend Anosha, who eagerly claimed the mathrooba, said that I needed a better description than the one I had given her: “Hey, it’s me again, do you fancy a savoury porridge for dinner?” “You’re massively underselling it,” she fed back to me later that night, “Even my two-year-old loved it.” And she’s right: this is comforting, delicious and truly unique. Mathrooba, meaning ‘beaten’ in Arabic, is typically served during Ramadan, where it’s easy to digest but also satiating.

The rice, chicken and spiced tomato base is cooked low and slow until the meat is tender and the rice grains barely discernible. Then, staying true to its name, the mixture is beaten by hand into a consistency similar to a congee, but more heavily spiced and a little thicker. Call it nostalgia but it’s one of my all-time favourite dishes that I’ll happily eat throughout the year, but especially in the winter months. 

Serves six 

Ingredients:

For the mathrooba:

• 4 tbsp olive oil 
• 2 red onions, finely chopped 
• 1kg (2lb 4oz) chicken legs (about 4 large ones), skin on, bone in 
• Six garlic cloves, finely grated 
• 40g (1½oz) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated 
• 1 tsp ground turmeric 
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds, finely ground using a pestle and mortar 
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds, finely ground using a pestle and mortar 
• 1 tsp garam masala 
• ½ tsp chilli flakes 
• ¾ tsp ground cinnamon 
• One dried lime (black or regular), pierced a couple of times with a sharp knife 
• 600g (1lb 5oz) plum tomatoes, roughly grated (shredded) and skins discarded (500g/1lb 3oz) 
• 3 tbsp tomato purée (paste)
• 40g (1½oz) coriander (cilantro), roughly chopped, plus an extra 1 tbsp, to serve 
• 20g (¾oz) dill fronds, roughly chopped, plus an extra 1 tbsp, to serve 
• 200g (7oz) basmati rice, washed until the water runs clear, then drained 
• 3 tbsp lemon juice 
• Fine sea salt and black pepper 

For the topping

• 3 tbsp olive oil 
• Three onions, halved and thinly sliced 
• Three mild fresh chillies, a mixture of green and red, left whole 
• 40g (1½oz) unsalted butter 

Method:

Heat the oil in a large, lidded, deep-sided, heavy-based pan over a medium-high heat. Add the red onions and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, just to soften. Add the chicken legs and cook for six minutes, turning to seal on both sides (they won’t be totally browned). Stir in the garlic, ginger, spices and dried lime and cook for two minutes, until fragrant.  

Add the tomatoes, tomato purée and herbs and cook for two minutes more. Pour in 1 litre (35fl oz) of water, then stir in the rice, two teaspoons of salt and a generous grind of pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover, turn down the heat to its lowest setting and leave to cook for 80 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes or so to prevent the bottom from catching.

Meanwhile, make the topping. Add the oil to a large frying pan (skillet) over a medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onions, chillies and ¼ teaspoon salt, stirring to coat in the fat, then turn down the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until  the onions are deeply caramelised and the chillies have softened, about 30 minutes. Transfer into a bowl, then return the pan to a medium heat with the butter. Cook for about seven minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and smelling nutty. Empty into a small heatproof bowl to stop it cooking further. 

Once the mathrooba is ready, turn off the heat and then use tongs to remove the chicken legs and transfer them into a bowl. When cool enough to handle, discard the skin and bones (or save them to make a stock) then use two forks to roughly shred the meat. Stir the shredded chicken and lemon juice back into the pan. Using a whisk or a potato masher, beat the mixture for 5–10 minutes, until the rice grains are no longer discernible and the mixture resembles a spoonable porridge. If you’d like it a little looser, add another 100ml (3½fl oz) of hot water or so until you get your desired consistency. Taste and adjust salt and lemon levels at this point too (you might want to add more of either). 

When ready to serve, spread the mathrooba out in a large shallow bowl and top with the onions and chillies. Pour over the browned butter, sprinkle over the extra herbs and serve warm.

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