Serves: 5-6 Cooking time: 2 to 2-1/2 hours

Trim meat and cut into 3 cm (1-1/4 inch) cubes. Heat half the oil or butter in a heavy pan and brown meat quickly on each side, adding a single layer of meat to pan at a time. Remove to a plate when browned.

Reduce heat, add remaining oil and onion and fry onion gently until transparent. Add garlic, celery and carrot and fry for a few minutes longer. Add tomato paste, wine, water, cloves, bay leaf and most of parsley. Return meat to pan and add salt and pepper to taste and the sugar. Cover and simmer gently for 45 minutes for lamb, 1-1/4 hours for beef.

Wash broad beans well, top and tail, pulling off strings at the same time. Cut into 8 cm (3-inch) lengths. Add to yahni, cover pan and simmer for further 30-45 minutes or until meat is tender.

Put yahni in a serving dish and sprinkle with remaining parsley. Serve hot with a tossed salad and crusty bread.

unless otherwise specified.

Green Beans: Top, tail and string if necessary. Slit down centre. Green Peas: Shell 1 kg (2 lb) green peas and add; 2 cups frozen peas may be used instead of fresh peas. Celery: Omit celery from basic recipe. Cut 1/2 bunch celery into 8 cm (3-inch) lengths and blanch in boiling, salted water for 5 minutes. Drain and add. Zucchini (Courgettes): Top and tail and cut into 1 cm (1/2 inch) slices. Cauliflower: Break 1 small head cauliflower into florets, soak in salted water, drain, rinse and add. Potatoes: Peel 750 g (1-1/2 lb) medium-sized potatoes, quarter and add.

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