About this Dish
Iraq's great comfort dish — slow-braised lamb or chicken in a tomato and spice broth, poured over pieces of torn flatbread that absorb the liquid completely. Layers of flavour build as the bread swells with the rich broth. The word tashreeb means to soak — the soaked bread is the soul of the dish, not the meat. A Friday family meal throughout Iraq.
IngredientsServes 6
🍗Bone-in chicken thighs or lamb shoulder pieces, 1kg
🧅Large onions, 2 roughly chopped
🍅Ripe tomatoes, 4 large chopped, or one 400g tin
🫙Tomato paste, 2 tablespoons
🌿Baharat spice mix, 2 teaspoons (or mix allspice, cinnamon, cumin, black pepper)
💛Ground turmeric, 1 teaspoon
🧄Garlic cloves, 4 whole
🍋Dried limes (loomi), 2 pierced with a knife
🫓Iraqi flatbread or thin pita, 2 large rounds torn into rough pieces
🧂Salt and black pepper to taste
Method
1
Heat a generous glug of oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken or lamb pieces on all sides until golden, then set aside.2
In the same pot, fry the onions until soft and lightly golden, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, tomato paste, turmeric, and baharat, and stir for 2 minutes until fragrant.3
Add the chopped tomatoes, dried limes, and the browned meat back to the pot. Pour in enough water to cover the meat generously — about 1 to 1.5 litres. Season well with salt and pepper.4
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for 1 to 1.5 hours until the meat is completely tender and the broth is rich and deeply coloured. Taste and adjust seasoning.5
Tear the flatbread into large rough pieces and spread them across the bottom of a wide deep serving dish or tray, layering them generously.6
Ladle the hot broth over the bread slowly and evenly, giving it time to soak in fully — you want the bread completely saturated and swollen, not crispy. Use most of the broth.7
Arrange the meat on top of the soaked bread and serve immediately, with any remaining broth on the side for people to add more as they eat.User Reviews
No reviews yet — be the first!
Sign in to leave a review
Members can create lists, save favourites and get recommendations.
Find the Best Tashreeb Near Me
AI-powered — Google, TripAdvisor and food blogs
🔥 Viral Recipes
How the world's most famous chefs — and creators — make this dish
Foodie Therapy by Mekhak
15.6K views
🌍 Food Vlogs
Food vloggers eating and cooking it at the source
🌍
No videos yet
What To Eat
The World's Food Guide
© 2025 What To Eat · hello@whattoeat.world