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Malthouth (Broken Barley Stew with Seasonal Vegetables)
A hearty southern Tunisian broken barley stew slow-simmered with lamb, root vegetables, chickpeas, and sun-dried harissa.
The story
Malthouth is a time-honored staple of rural Berber and Arab farming communities across central and southern Tunisia, historically favored over durum couscous in arid regions where hard barley thrived. Traditionally prepared during chilly desert winter nights and harvest celebrations, the dish relies on coarse cracked barley that absorbs the rich savory broth without disintegrating into mush. Unlike standard couscous which is solely steamed, authentic malthouth is either partly steamed over the pot and combined, or simmered directly into a concentrated tomato and caraway stock with bone-in lamb and winter tubers.
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