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Shorbat freekeh
Smoked green wheat soup
Shorbat freekeh: the Jordanian Ramadan soup of smoky green wheat simmered in chicken broth
When the sunset call to prayer ends the Ramadan fast in Amman, the first spoonfuls are very often shorbat freekeh, a nourishing broth thickened with cracked green wheat that was roasted in the field while still young. The smoke from that roasting gives the soup its distinctive, almost barbecue-like depth, while chicken, cinnamon and cardamom keep it gentle on an empty stomach. It is followed by dates, salad and the main dish. The usual mistake is not picking over and rinsing the freekeh, which can hold tiny stones and chaff. Chef's tip: toast the rinsed freekeh in butter for a couple of minutes before adding the broth; it brings out the smokiness.
- Total time
- 85 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the broth
- 1 ¾ lb chicken thighs on the boneskin removed
- 8 ¼ cups water
- 1 onionhalved
- 4 cardamom podslightly crushed
For the soup
- 7 oz cracked freekehpicked over and rinsed
- 2 tbsp butteror olive oil
- 1 onionfinely chopped
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
To serve
- 6 lemon wedges (optional)
- 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley (optional)chopped
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Put 1 ¾ lb chicken thighs on the bone in a large pot with 8 ¼ cups water and bring to the boil over a high heat. Skim off the grey foam that rises.
10 minStep 2: Add 1 onion, 1 cinnamon stick, 4 cardamom pods, 2 bay leaves and 5 allspice berries, lower the heat and simmer gently, partly covered, for 35 minutes, until the chicken falls from the bone and reads at least 165°F.
35 minStep 3: Lift out the chicken and shred the meat, discarding the bones. Strain the broth; you need about 1.6 litres.
Step 4: In the empty pot, melt 2 tbsp butter over a medium heat and soften 1 onion until translucent. Add the drained 7 oz cracked freekeh and stir for 2 minutes, until it smells toasty.
7 minStep 5: Pour in the strained broth with 1 ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper and simmer, partly covered, stirring now and then, until the freekeh is tender and the soup is thick enough to coat a spoon. Add a little water if it gets too thick.
25 minStep 6: Return the chicken to the pot and heat until piping hot. Serve with 6 lemon wedges and 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 310 kcal
- Protein
- 27 g
- Carbs
- 30 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does shorbat freekeh take?
- About 85 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 70 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of cinnamon stick?
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon per stick.
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