Egyptian Bisilla with Carrots and BeefEgyptian
PlateMap recipe · #93

Egyptian Bisilla with Carrots and Beef

Green peas and diced carrots cooked with tender beef in a light tomato sauce. One of the most common Egyptian home stews, eaten with vermicelli rice.

125minutes
4Servings
easyDifficulty
Jump to ingredients & method
Execution guide

Method

Read the full method before starting. Cooking times are guides; check texture and doneness as you cook.

Shows the steps one at a time, with a timer for each timed step.

0 / 6done
Set up your tools

Saucepan or pot, Sharp knife and board

Before the heat goes on

Measure, cut, and arrange every ingredient in order of use. Read the full method and keep finishing ingredients separate.

  1. 01

    Cooking the beef

    1 hour and 20 minutesGentle simmer

    Put the beef in a pot with the water, half of the onion, the bay leaves and the cardamom. Bring to a boil, skim the foam, then cover and simmer on low heat for 1 hour 15 minutes until the beef is tender.

    Success cue

    The beef is tender enough to cut with a spoon.

    Watch out

    Simmer until the beef is fully tender, with no pink juices.

  2. 02

    Broth

    3 minutes

    Lift out the beef and keep 500 ml of the cooking broth.

    Success cue

    The broth is strained and measured.

  3. 03

    Frying

    8 minutesMedium heat

    Melt the ghee in a pot over medium heat and fry the rest of the onion, chopped, for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and the beef and stir for 3 minutes.

    Success cue

    The onion is soft and the beef is coated in ghee.

  4. 04

    Sauce

    3 minutesMedium heat

    Stir in the tomato paste for 1 minute, then add the tomato passata, the 500 ml of broth, salt and black pepper.

    Success cue

    The sauce comes back to a gentle boil.

  5. 05

    Carrots

    10 minutesGentle simmer

    Add the carrots, cut into small cubes, and simmer for 10 minutes.

    Success cue

    The carrots have started to soften at the edges.

  6. 06

    Peas

    20 minutesGentle simmer

    Add the peas and simmer, partly covered, for 15 to 20 minutes until the carrots are soft and the sauce has thickened.

    Success cue

    The peas are bright green and the carrots are soft.

PlateMap is still in testing. Quantities and results may vary with ingredients and equipment. Please check food safety yourself, especially with meat and poultry.

Cooking tips

Extra tip

Cooking the beef with cardamom and bay leaves first gives the sauce a rich broth instead of plain water.

  • • Frozen peas keep their color well; add them straight from the freezer.
  • • Cut the carrots the same size as the peas so they finish cooking together.

Common mistakes

  • • Adding the peas too early, so they turn grey and mushy.
  • • Skipping the broth and using plain water, which makes the sauce thin and flat.

Serving ideasServe with Egyptian vermicelli rice.

Potential allergens

Milk

Compound ingredients vary by product; check labels and possible cross-contact.

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