Tuḥʾu, the red lamb broth of the king
A stew of lamb leg in a base of beer and fat, tinted red by beetroot, thickened with onion, garlic, and leek, and seasoned with herbs. Rich, deep, made for great occasions.
A stew of lamb leg in a base of beer and fat, tinted red by beetroot, thickened with onion, garlic, and leek, and seasoned with herbs. Rich, deep, made for great occasions.
I, Hammurabi, king of Babylon, to whom Marduk has entrusted the peoples: know that this broth, my cooks made redden in the bronze cauldron like the sunset over the Euphrates. Into it they throw the leg still bloody, the barley beer, the fat from the fat tail, then the garlic and leek crushed by the handful. Believe him who has rendered justice in the shadow of the Esagil: a broth without siqqu is like a law without a seal — it does not hold. Taste, stranger, and you shall know what a king ate.
- •Lamb leg — one leg (base meat)
- •Barley beer (sikaru) — enough to cover (cooking liquid)
- •Sheep's tail fat — a generous portion (fat)
- •Beetroot — a few (color and sweetness)
- •Onion, garlic, leek — in equal parts (crushed aromatic trinity)
- •Siqqu (fermented condiment) — a dash (umami)
- •Salt, coriander, cumin — to taste (seasoning)
Tuḥʾu, the red lamb broth of the king
A stew of lamb leg in a base of beer and fat, tinted red by beetroot, thickened with onion, garlic, and leek, and seasoned with herbs. Rich, deep, made for great occasions.
Why this dish? This broth is one of the recipes inscribed on the Yale culinary tablets (circa 1700 BC), written during the very dynasty of Hammurabi. It is exactly the kind of elaborate dish served at the table of a king of Babylon, simmered by palace cooks for court banquets.
I, Hammurabi, king of Babylon, to whom Marduk has entrusted the peoples: know that this broth, my cooks made redden in the bronze cauldron like the sunset over the Euphrates. Into it they throw the leg still bloody, the barley beer, the fat from the fat tail, then the garlic and leek crushed by the handful. Believe him who has rendered justice in the shadow of the Esagil: a broth without siqqu is like a law without a seal — it does not hold. Taste, stranger, and you shall know what a king ate.
Ingredients (period version)
- Lamb leg — one leg (base meat)
- Barley beer (sikaru) — enough to cover (cooking liquid)
- Sheep's tail fat — a generous portion (fat)
- Beetroot — a few (color and sweetness)
- Onion, garlic, leek — in equal parts (crushed aromatic trinity)
- Siqqu (fermented condiment) — a dash (umami)
- Salt, coriander, cumin — to taste (seasoning)
Ingredients
- Lamb shoulder or leg — 800 g, in pieces (base meat)
- Lightly hopped pale beer — 33 cl (cooking liquid)
- Lamb fat or butter — 2 tbsp (fat)
- Cooked beetroot — 2 medium, diced (color and sweetness)
- Onion — 1 large (aromatic trinity)
- Garlic — 4 cloves (aromatic trinity)
- Leek — 1 white part (aromatic trinity)
- Fish sauce (nuoc-mâm) — 1 tsp (replaces siqqu, umami)
- Salt, ground coriander, cumin — 1 tsp each (seasoning)
Method
- Sear the lamb pieces in the fat until browned.
- Crush together onion, garlic, and leek into a coarse paste, add them and sweat.
- Deglaze with the beer, add the beetroot dice, fish sauce, salt, and spices.
- Cover and simmer on low heat for about 1 h 30, until the meat falls apart.
- Serve hot, with barley bread for dipping.
How it was made : The Yale tablets describe about twenty highly codified broths (tu7), where meat is cooked in water or beer with fat and alliums. The red of tuḥʾu may have come from blood or a plant; here it has been reconstructed with beetroot, a vegetable well known in the ancient world.
The contemporary twist : Served in a deep bowl, with thin beetroot slices placed on top like clay tablets, and a drizzle of sesame oil as a finish.
Sources : Jean Bottéro, La plus vieille cuisine du monde, 2002 · Jean Bottéro, Textes culinaires mésopotamiens (Yale Culinary Tablets, YBC 4644), 1995
Hammurabi · Charactorium
