Msoki | Tunisian Ramadan Vegetable and Lamb Stew

Trim the outer leaves from the artichokes, quarter them, and keep them in lemon water to prevent browning. Shell the fresh fava beans; cut the carrots and zucchini into large pieces, and peel the strings from the celery stalks. Divide the vegetables among three bowls according to their cooking times.

Finely chop the onion and soften it in olive oil for 7 minutes. Add the tabil, dried mint, and black pepper, and stir for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and harissa and cook for 2 minutes. Add the patted-dry meat and turn it until browned on all sides.

Add the water, drained chickpeas, dried fava beans, and salt, then bring to a boil. Skim off the foam, reduce the heat, and simmer until the meat is tender and the legumes are soft. Keep plenty of liquid in the pot; the vegetables and noodles will absorb some of it later.

Add the carrots, celery, and artichokes and cook for 12 minutes. Then add the fresh fava beans and peas and cook for 6 minutes more. Adding each group in stages helps the vegetables finish cooking at the same time; adding them all at once can make the artichokes fall apart while the carrots stay firm.

Add the broken noodles, zucchini, and scallions and cook for 10 minutes. The noodles cook through and release starch to thicken the stew; the consistency should be thicker than soup but thinner than a braise. Stir along the bottom from time to time with a wooden spoon to prevent sticking.

Add the coarsely chopped spinach and most of the chopped herbs and boil for 4 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice just before removing the pot from the heat and taste. Msoki should be distinctly tart. Scatter the remaining herbs over each serving and serve hot.