One of Fatih Sultan Mehmet’s favorite foods was a dish called Mutancana. Lamb meat was sauteed in butter with shallots and cooked until tender. Then dried fruits and almonds were added and cooked a little longer. It was seasoned with honey and sumac which gives it a sweet and sour effect. If you want to eat like a Turkish Sultan, you should try and make this dish. I made my Mutancana with Beef and it could also be made with Chicken.
Dana Mutancana or Beef Mutancana
Dana Mutancana or Beef Mutancana
Author: April Ozbilgin
Recipe type: Main Dish
Cuisine: Turkish
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds Beef Stew Meat
- 1 Cup Shallots
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 3 Tablespoons Butter, reserve 1 Tablespoons to saute almonds
- ½ Cup Dried Apricots
- ½ Cup Dried Figs
- ⅓ Cup Grapes
- ½ Cup Almonds
- 2 Tablespoons Honey
- 2 Cups Beef Stock
- To Taste Salt
- ½ Teaspoon Sumac
Instructions
- Melt the 2 Tablespoons of the butter and olive oil in a deep pan.
- Add the beef stew meat and saute about 5 minutes, then add the peeled shallots.
- Saute about 3-4 more minutes.
- Pour the beef stock into the pan and bring to a boil.
- Cover and reduce heat to low and cook for 1 hour 15 minutes.
- While the meat is cooking, bring 2 cups of water to boil and add the almonds. Boil 2 or 3 minutes and remove from heat. Let sit 5 minutes and then pour off hot water and cover with cold. You should then be able to remove the skins.
- Stir the grapes, honey, sumac and salt into the meat and onions and cook about 4-5 minutes.
- In a saute pan, melt 1 Tablespoon butter and saute the almonds, figs and apricots.
- Combine the sauteed almonds, figs and apricots with the meat mixture.
- Serve with white rice or saffron rice.
