Moroccan · Main course
Hargma (Slow-Cooked Lamb Trotters & Chickpeas)
Hargma is the long-simmered feast-day stew of lamb or calf trotters and chickpeas, cooked for hours with wheat, turmeric and garlic until the trotters turn meltingly gelatinous and the broth thickens to a sticky, collagen-rich sauce. Loved around Aïd and eaten from big communal bowls, it is unctuous, warming and deeply traditional.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 210 min
- Total
- 240 min
- Serves
- 6
- Level
- Medium
Ingredients
- 4 lamb or calf trotters, cleaned and split
- 250 g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight
- 100 g wheat berries, soaked
- 1 onion, chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and black pepper
Method
- 1
Clean the trotters
Scrub and singe the trotters to remove any hair, then rinse thoroughly and split them.
- 2
Start the pot
Warm the oil, cook the onion and garlic, add turmeric and ginger, then the trotters and cover generously with water.
- 3
Long simmer
Add the drained chickpeas and wheat and simmer very gently for three to three and a half hours, topping up with hot water, until the trotters are gelatinous and the chickpeas soft.
- 4
Reduce
Uncover for the last half hour to reduce the broth to a thick, sticky sauce; season with salt and pepper.
- 5
Serve
Ladle into deep bowls, making sure everyone gets trotter, chickpeas and plenty of the rich broth, with bread alongside.
Chef's tips
- Ask the butcher to clean and split the trotters; singeing off any remaining hair at home is still worthwhile.
- The long cook is non-negotiable — the luscious, gelatinous texture only comes after hours of gentle simmering.
- Skim the broth in the early stages for a cleaner-tasting, less greasy final sauce.
Frequently asked questions
Is hargma the same as kourein?
They refer to much the same dish of slow-cooked trotters and chickpeas; names vary by region, with kourein common in some areas and hargma in others.
Can I use a pressure cooker?
Yes; a pressure cooker cuts the time dramatically, softening trotters and chickpeas in about an hour, then reduce the sauce on the hob.