Egyptian Mombar is a traditional Egyptian dish made with natural lamb or beef intestine casings stuffed with Egyptian short-grain rice, fresh herbs, tomatoes, garlic and aromatic spices. The stuffed casings are simmered and then fried until golden and crispy on the outside, with a tender, flavourful filling inside.
— Chef Shadi Alsayouri
Ingredients
Casing Ingredients
- 1 kg beef or lamb intestines, cleaned and obtained from a reputable supplier
- Flour, as needed for cleaning
- Coarse salt, as needed for cleaning.
- White vinegar, as needed for rinsing
- Cold potable water.
Rice Stuffing Ingredients
- 500 g Egyptian short-grain rice, washed and drained
- 150 g finely chopped onion.
- 150 g grated tomato.
- 30 g tomato paste.
- 30 g chopped parsley.
- 30 g chopped fresh dill
- 30 g chopped fresh coriander leaves.
- 15 g minced garlic
- 0 g salt, or as needed.
- 4 g ground cumin.
- 3 g ground coriander.
- 2 g ground black pepper
- Chili, to taste.
Simmering Ingredients
- Approximately 3 litres of water, or enough to cover.
- 1 medium onion.
- 2 bay leaves.
- 3 cardamom pods
- Salt, as needed.
Frying Ingredients
- Vegetable oil suitable for deep-frying
Preparation Method
STEP 1 — Cleaning the Casings
- Inspect the intestines and ensure they come from a reputable food-approved supplier.
- Rinse thoroughly with cold potable water, then carefully turn the casings inside out to clean the inner surface.
- Remove excess fat and residual material without damaging the casing.
- Rub gently with flour and coarse salt, then rinse thoroughly.
- A little vinegar may be used during cleaning, followed by complete rinsing.
- Repeat until the casings are free from visible residue and abnormal odours.
- Drain and keep refrigerated until stuffing.
STEP 2 — Preparing the Stuffing
- Wash the rice and drain it thoroughly.
- Combine the rice with the onion, grated tomato and tomato paste.
- Add the parsley, dill, fresh coriander and garlic.
- Add the oil, salt, cumin, ground coriander, black pepper and chili.
- Mix until the herbs and seasonings are evenly distributed.
STEP 3 — Stuffing the Casings
- Cut the intestines into suitable lengths.
- Secure one end with food-safe kitchen string.
- Use a suitable wide funnel or stuffing tool.
- Fill each casing loosely with the rice mixture.
- Leave sufficient space for the rice grains to expand during cooking.
- Secure the other end and repeat with the remaining pieces.
STEP 4 — Simmering
- Place the water, onion, bay leaves, cardamom and salt in a large pot.
- Bring the liquid to a boil.
- Carefully add the stuffed casings.
- Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
- Cook for approximately 45–60 minutes, depending on the thickness and size.
- Check that the rice and filling are fully cooked and that the centre reaches a safe temperature.
- Remove the mombar and drain thoroughly.
STEP 5 — Frying
- Heat the oil to approximately 170–180°C.
- Dry the surface of the mombar to remove excess water and reduce oil splattering.
- Fry in batches until golden brown and crispy.
- Remove and drain on a wire rack or absorbent paper.
- Remove the kitchen strings before serving.
Food Safety and Storage
- Use intestines from an approved supplier and suitable for human consumption.
- Clean equipment and surfaces, and separate raw ingredients from cooked food.
- Keep raw mombar refrigerated at 4°C or below.
- Do not rely on vinegar or lemon to sterilise the intestines.
- Cook the stuffing until its centre reaches at least 74°C.
- Store cooked mombar in the refrigerator at 4°C or below and consume within 3–4 days.
- Reheat to 74°C.
- Do not leave cooked food at room temperature for more than two hours.
Final Quality Characteristics
- Colour: Uniform golden brown.
- Exterior: Crispy without burning.
- Filling: Fully cooked rice with a cohesive texture, not mushy.
- Aroma: Fresh herbs and balanced spices.
- Appearance: Well-filled casings without bursting or filling leakage.
