One of the most beloved dishes on the planet Emerald is a culinary heirloom known as Lahmajun, baked fresh in a network of renowned bakeries scattered across the Lord Alexander Settlement, located on the Abrezia continent, just beyond the capital’s reach.
The legacy of Lahmajun spans across three planets, tracing a path from the Middle Eastern regions of Old Earth. It first found a new home on Luna during the United LunaTerra era, where it rose in popularity once more. Its journey continued to Vishapakar, and after the devastation of the Dragon’s Fall War, many survivors who resettled in the Cooper's Star system carried the recipe with them. It was only natural that when settlers eventually reached Emerald, the dish followed, adapting to the unique conditions of its new environment.
Traditionally, Lahmajun is a thin flatbread topped with minced meat, commonly lamb or beef, mixed with vegetables, onions, garlic, tomatoes, red peppers, and parsley, seasoned with spices like chili and paprika, then baked to perfection. It's often wrapped around pickled vegetables, roasted eggplant, lettuce, tomatoes, and herbs, creating a vibrant, flavorful meal.
On Emerald, a local variant rose to prominence within the Lord Alexander Settlement. In the absence of familiar Old Earth livestock, many of which have yet to be reintroduced into Emerald’s ecosystem, settlers turned to native fauna. The Kareli, a thick-skinned bovid species domesticated from Emerald’s calmer, fog-rich regions, became the meat of choice. Despite its tough hide, Kareli meat is exceptionally tender. Its texture is reminiscent of lamb, while its flavor leans closer to chicken. When finely minced and prepared for Lahmajun, the result is a buttery smoothness some compare to melting ice cream.
The flatbread itself is crafted using Petal Wheat, a unique crop grown in the hyperoxygenated farmlands of Emerald. The oxygen-rich conditions lend the wheat a pungently fresh aroma and rich flavor that some say is intoxicating even before the bread touches the tongue. Though the dough adheres to traditional flatbread recipes flour, water, artificial milk or yogurt, and salt, it rarely needs artificial leaveners. The Petal Wheat naturally produces enough rising agents to yield a light, fluffy texture, even when unleavened.
The preparation is an art. The dough is rolled out thin, then the minced Kareli meat is spread like a savory paste across its surface. Other toppings—depending on preference—may include roasted eggplant, crisp onions, juicy tomatoes, pickled peppers, fresh parsley, and lettuce.
An alternative preparation skips the minced meat entirely. Instead, a Shawarma-style variation roasts thick slices of Kareli on a vertical spit, shaving them into generous portions. This form of Lord Shawarma—as it’s affectionately known—is nearly twice the size of the largest wraps from Old Earth or Vishapakar. A common joke among settlers is that the true test of a native Emeraldian is whether they can finish an entire Lord Shawarma in one sitting.