by Anissa Helou
SERVES 4 TO 6
4 lamb shanks (3 pounds 5 ounces/1.5 kg total)
⅓ cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1¼ cups (250 g) dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in plenty of water with 1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (200 g) wheat berries
4 whole cloves garlic
2 tablespoons ground cumin
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons paprika
Sea salt
1. Put the shanks in a large pot. Add 3 quarts (3 liters) water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, skimming the froth from the surface. Then add the olive oil. Drain and rinse the chickpeas and add to the pot along with the wheat berries, garlic, cumin, and pepper flakes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 1½ hours, stirring occasionally, or until the meat, chickpeas, and wheat are tender. By then, the broth should have reduced to a silky sauce. If the sauce is still runny, uncover the pot and boil hard for a few minutes until reduced.
2. Add the paprika and salt to taste. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve hot.
TROTTERS WITH CHICKPEAS AND WHEAT: For those of you who like the idea of trotters, simply substitute them for the shanks: one calf’s foot or 8 sheep’s trotters for the quantities given in the recipe. Cook them for 1 hour before you add the chickpeas and wheat. You also need to add more water, possibly an extra 2 cups (500 ml), but add 1 cup (250 ml) at a time, so that you don’t end up with a sauce that is too thin.
Zanzibari Sweet Noodles
TAMBI
ZANZIBAR
These sweet noodles are an essential “break fast” during Ramadan. Most Zanzibaris break their fast with a few dates, spiced tea or porridge, and a serving of these noodles, which they eat with their hand. No easy feat! The noodles can be prepared in one of two ways: either toasted until golden, then boiled and sweetened or boiled in sweetened milk or water. I like the toasted version as it has a more interesting flavor, but the plain version is also lovely. Zanzibaris use locally made fresh noodles that are a cross between spaghetti and pici, thicker than regular spaghetti and thinner than pici. They are found everywhere in the markets during Ramadan and can be bought fresh or sun-dried. It is unlikely you will find them outside Zanzibar; and in the various Zanzibari cookbooks I looked at, the authors recommend substituting vermicelli. You can also use angel hair spaghetti, known as capellini, which is even closer to what I had in Zanzibar.
SERVES 6 TO 8
Good pinch of saffron threads
½ cup (125 ml) whole milk
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 ounces (120 g) angel hair spaghetti (capellini), broken into 2- to 3-inch (5 to 7.5 cm) pieces
½ cup (100 g) raw cane sugar
1 tablespoon ground cardamom
2 tablespoons golden raisins
2 tablespoons slivered almonds
1. Put the saffron to steep in the milk.
2. Preheat the oven to 300°F (180°C).
3. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the broken spaghetti and sauté, stirring constantly, until the pasta is golden brown—the pasta needs to be dark enough in color to stay brown as it boils, but be careful not to burn it.
4. Add the saffron milk, sugar, cardamom, and golden raisins to the pasta and bring to a boil. Watch the milk as it nears the boiling point so as not to let it boil over. Once the milk has started to bubble, reduce the heat to low and let simmer for 7 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente, stirring regularly to make sure the pasta is not sticking. Transfer to a medium-size oven-to-table dish and place in the oven for 10 minutes, or until the pasta has completely absorbed the milk and softened completely. (They don’t like their pasta al dente in Zanzibar!) Scatter the slivered almonds all over the pasta and serve hot.
Egyptian Split Lentil Soup
SHORBAT ‘ADASS
EGYPT
No Egyptian can imagine a menu that doesn’t include lentil soup, but their version is different from Lebanese and Syrian soups because they use split lentils, whereas the others use brown or green lentils. Both versions are delicious. (See Lebanese Lentil Soup.)
SERVES 4 TO 6
2½ cups (500 g) red lentils, rinsed
2 medium onions (10½ ounces/300 g total)—1 quartered and 1 finely chopped
2 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped
1 medium carrot, cut into medium chunks
1 medium zucchini, cut into medium chunks
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Juice of 1 lemon, or to taste
Sea salt
FOR GARNISH
A few sprigs cilantro
Lemon wedges
1. Put the lentils in a large pot. Add the quartered onion, the tomatoes, carrot, and zucchini. Add 4 cups (1 liter) water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil and the cumin and cook for 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
3. Add the fried onion (and the oil from the pan) to the lentils and simmer for 10 more minutes, until very tender. Take off the heat. Add the lemon juice and salt to taste and blend, either in a food processor or with a hand blender.
4. Serve hot, garnished with cilantro and more lemon for those who would like it.
Lebanese Lentil Soup
SHORBET ‘ADASS
LEBANON | SYRIA
This soup is essentially the same in Lebanon and Syria except for the spices that flavor it, cinnamon for the Lebanese version and cumin for the Syrian. Serve with toasted pita bread or pita fried in olive oil.
SERVES 4
2 cups (400 g) brown lentils, soaked for 30 minutes in cold water
¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium onions (10½ ounces/300 g total), finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon or ground cumin
Sea salt and finely ground black pepper
1. Drain the lentils and put in a large pot. Add 2½ quarts (2.5 liters) water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, stir, and let bubble gently for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until tender.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring regularly, until the onions are golden brown, about 10 minutes.
3. Take the lentils off the heat and let cool for about 10 minutes before pureeing in a food processor or with a hand blender. Return the pureed lentils to the pan. Add the fried onions together with their oil. Season with the cinnamon (or cumin if you prefer), and salt and pepper to taste. If the soup is more like a puree than a thick soup, add a little water to have a looser consistency. Do not make it too runny, though, as the soup is meant to be thick. Let simmer for 10 more minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve hot or warm.
Tunisian Chickpea Soup
LABLABI
TUNISIA
A typical winter street food in Tunisia, this warming soup is served over bread, garnished with harissa and cumin. It is very simple to prepare, but you need to plan for it a day ahead by putting the chickpeas to soak.
SERVES 6
1½ cups (300 g) dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in plenty of water with 1 teaspoon baking soda (see Note)
¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
Juice of 1 lemon, or to taste
1 tablespoon Harissa, plus more for garnish
5 cloves garlic, minced to a fine paste
1 tablespoon ground cumin, plus more for garnish
Sea salt
2 to 4 slices day-old bread, cut into bite-size pieces
2 lemons, cut into wedges
1. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Put in a large pot with 5¼ cups (1.25 liters) water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, skimming off the white foam. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour, or until the chic
kpeas are tender but not mushy.
2. When the chickpeas are done, add the oil, lemon juice, harissa, garlic, cumin, and salt to taste. Simmer for a few more minutes.
3. Divide the bread among 6 individual soup bowls—how much you put in depends on your taste and how thick you want your soup to be. Taste and adjust the seasoning of the soup before ladling it onto the bread. Place a knob of harissa in the middle of each bowl of soup. Drizzle a little olive oil all around and sprinkle a little cumin all over. Serve very hot with the lemon wedges.
NOTE: Don’t neglect to add the baking soda: It helps soften the chickpeas and shorten their cooking time. Without the baking soda, the chickpeas will take 2 hours, possibly longer, to cook.
Moroccan Chickpea and Lamb Soup
HARIRA
MOROCCO
Harira is Morocco’s national soup and the first nourishment Moroccans take when they break their fast during Ramadan. Throughout that month, people replace the dates with sh’bakkiyah, a crisp fried pastry that is dipped in syrup. Serve with dates or sh’bakkiyah: both offer an intriguing sweet contrast to the slightly tart soup.
SERVES 6
⅓ cup (75 g) dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in plenty of water with ½ teaspoon baking soda
7 ounces (200 g) lean lamb, cut into small cubes
1 medium onion (5 ounces/150 g), halved lengthwise and cut into thin wedges
A few sprigs flat-leaf parsley, most of the stems discarded, finely chopped
¾ teaspoon finely ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch of saffron threads
One 14-ounce (400 g) can chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons (30 g) unsalted butter
2 ounces (50 g) broken vermicelli
A few sprigs cilantro, most of the stems discarded, finely chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Juice of 1 lemon, or more to taste
4 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
Sea salt
1. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Spread them onto a clean cloth. Cover them with another cloth and, with a rolling pin, crush them lightly to split them in half and loosen their skins. Peel and discard the skins.
2. Put the peeled split chickpeas into a large pot. Add the lamb, onion, parsley, pepper, ginger, saffron, tomatoes and their juice, and 2 quarts (2 liters) water. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Add the butter, then cover the pot and let bubble for 1 hour.
3. Add the vermicelli, cilantro, tomato paste, and lemon juice and reduce the heat to low. Mix the flour with ⅔ cup (160 ml) water and slowly pour into the soup, stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming. The soup should thicken to a velvety consistency at the end of cooking. Add salt to taste and simmer for a couple more minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve very hot.
Lentil, Chickpea, and Bean Soup
SHORBAH MAKHLUTAH
LEBANON
This is a hearty soup from the mountains of Lebanon, which can be served hot, warm, or at room temperature. It is a wonderful combination of grain, legumes, and rice that provides all the nutrition needed in one meal to those who don’t eat meat.
SERVES 4 TO 6
¾ cup (150 g) brown lentils
¼ cup (50 g) dried cannellini beans, soaked overnight in plenty of water with ¼ teaspoon baking soda
⅓ cup (75 g) dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in plenty of water with ½ teaspoon baking soda
⅔ cup (160 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium onions (10½ ounces/300 g total), finely chopped
2 tablespoons coarse bulgur
2 tablespoons short-grain white rice
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon or cumin
2 teaspoons ground allspice
½ teaspoon finely ground black pepper
Sea salt
1. Put the lentils in a large pot. Drain and rinse the soaked beans and chickpeas under cold water and add to the lentils. Add 9½ cups (2.25 liters) water, cover, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and let bubble gently, covered, for 1 hour, or until the legumes are tender.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until golden, about 5 minutes. Rinse the bulgur and rice in several changes of cold water, drain and set aside.
3. When the legumes are ready, add the bulgur, rice, and fried onions (with their oil). Season with the cinnamon (or cumin), allspice, pepper, and salt to taste and simmer for 15 minutes, until all the ingredients are tender. Adjust the soup consistency to your taste. If it is too thin, boil for a little longer; if too thick, add a little boiling water. Boil for a couple more minutes, then take off the heat. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.
Meat, Beans, and Tomato Stew
FASSULIAH BIL-LAHMEH
LEBANON
You can prepare this wonderful, warming dish with either fresh beans when in season or with dried ones. I use cannellini or navy beans, but you can easily use lima beans for a creamier consistency—they tend to break more easily hence making the sauce thicker.
SERVES 4
4 tablespoons (60 g) unsalted butter
1 pound 2 ounces (500 g) boneless lamb shoulder, trimmed of excess fat, cut into medium chunks
1 large onion (7 ounces/200 g), halved, sliced into medium-thin wedges
9 ounces (250 g) dried cannellini or navy beans (see Note), soaked overnight in plenty of water with 1 teaspoon baking soda
3½ ounces (100 g) tomato paste
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon finely ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Sea salt
Cooked rice or bread, for serving
1. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the meat and stir it to brown all over. Remove the meat to a plate. Add the onion to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Return the meat to the pot and add 4 cups (1 liter) water. Bring to a boil and as the water is about to boil, skim the froth from the surface. Cover and let bubble gently for 15 minutes.
2. Drain and rinse the beans. Add to the meat and onion and let bubble gently, covered, for 45 more minutes, or until the beans are tender.
3. Dilute the tomato paste with a little water and stir into the broth. Season with the allspice, cinnamon, pepper, nutmeg, and salt to taste. Cover and cook for 10 more minutes, or until the sauce has thickened and the beans and meat are done. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve hot with rice or bread.
NOTE: When in season use 1 pound 2 ounces (500 g) fresh borlotti beans. In step 1, cook the meat for 30 minutes. Then add the fresh beans and cook for 30 minutes, or until tender. Continue to step 3. The rest of the recipe is the same.
Iranian Pomegranate Soup
SH-E ANR
IRAN
I’ve had this soup, a winter specialty from Tabriz in Iran, as street food in a bustling café in Tajrish market in Tehran, and I’ve had it for tea in the hushed tearoom of the grand Shah Abbasi hotel in Afghanistan. Of course the hotel version was more refined than the street version, but both were totally delicious. It is not the quickest soup to make but it is well worth trying for its richness and its intriguing sweet-savory flavor. Serve with barbari (Iranian Flatbread) or any other good bread.
SERVES 6
FOR THE SOUP
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion (5 ounces/150 g), halved lengthwise and cut into thin wedges
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅔ cup (125 g) short-grain white rice, soaked for 30 minutes in cold water
⅔ cup (125 g) yellow split peas, soaked for 30 minutes in cold water
Sea salt and finely ground black pepper
FOR THE MEATBALLS
8 ounces (250 g) lean ground lamb
1 medium onion (5 ounces/150 g), grated on the fine side of a grater
Sea salt and finely ground black pepper
TO FINISH
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley (7 ounces/200 g), most of the bottom stems discarded, finely chopped
¾ bunch cilantro (5 ounces/150 g), most of the bottom stems discarded, finely chopped
¼ bunch mint (2 ounces/50 g), leaves stripped off the stems, finely chopped
1 bunch scallions (2 ounces/60 g), thinly sliced
⅓ cup (80 ml) pomegranate molasses
2 tablespoons raw cane sugar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried mint
1. To start the soup: Heat the 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and fry, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Add the turmeric and cinnamon and mix well. Drain the rice and split peas and add to the pot along with 8½ cups (2 liters) water. Season with salt and pepper to taste and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pot. Let bubble while you prepare the meatballs.
2. Meanwhile, to make the meatballs: Put the ground lamb and grated onion in a medium mixing bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.
3. Lightly moisten your hands with a little water and pinch off a little meat to shape into a meatball the size of a regular marble. Drop the meatball into the simmering soup and continue making the meatballs and dropping them into the soup until you have used up all the meat. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and let simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Add the herbs and scallions to the soup and simmer for another 30 minutes, until all the ingredients are cooked and the soup has become concentrated. Stir in the pomegranate molasses and sugar. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.