Sumagiyeh

Cut the beef into cubes of about 3 cm. Place it in a pot, pour in 1200 ml of water, add 1 teaspoon of allspice and one peeled onion. Bring to a boil, skim off the foam, and simmer covered over low heat for about 60 minutes, until the meat is tender. Strain the broth, set the meat aside, and discard the allspice and boiled onion.

In a small saucepan, combine the ground sumac and 600 ml of water. Bring to a gentle simmer, heat for 10 minutes, remove from the heat and let stand for 20 minutes. Strain the infusion through a fine sieve, without pressing on the solids.

In a wide, heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil. Add the second chopped onion and cook for 8–10 minutes until soft. Add the chopped chard, cooked chickpeas, minced garlic, dill seeds, hot green pepper and ground coriander; simmer for 5 minutes to let the chard wilt down.

Transfer the beef into the pot, pour in the strained broth and add salt. Bring to a boil and cook over low heat for 10 minutes so the vegetables and meat come together.

In a separate bowl, stir the wheat flour into the warm sumac infusion until completely smooth. Pour the mixture into the pot in a thin stream, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to prevent lumps from forming. Cook for 8–10 minutes over low heat until the sauce thickens.

Add the tahini, stir well and heat for another 3–5 minutes without letting it come to a rolling boil. Taste and add more salt if needed.

Remove the sumagiyeh from the heat, let it rest for 10 minutes, then ladle into bowls. Serve warm or at room temperature.