← Nouns Cooking · Moroccan

Ingredients

• 400 g Lamb (shoulder or leg), cut into small cubes
• 3 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 Onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves Garlic, crushed
• 1 celery stick, with leaves, finely chopped
• 3 Tomato, grated
• 2 tbsp Tomato purée (paste)
• 1 tsp Paprika
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp Ground coriander
• ½ tsp Ground ginger
• ½ tsp Black pepper
• 1½ tsp Salt
• 1 bunch Coriander (cilantro), chopped
• 2 l Water
• 150 g Freekeh (frik, cracked green wheat), rinsed
• 1 can chickpeas (400 g can), drained
• 1 tbsp dried mint
• 1 Lemon, in wedges, to serve (optional)

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the lamb, onion, garlic and celery and cook for 8–10 min, stirring, until the meat is browned and the onion soft.
2. Stir in the grated tomatoes, tomato paste, spices, salt and half the coriander and cook for 5 min.
3. Pour in the water, bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 40 min until the lamb is almost tender.
4. Add the freekeh and chickpeas and simmer for 25–30 min more, stirring often so the grains do not stick, until they are tender and the soup is thick. Add a little water if it gets too thick.
5. Stir in the rest of the coriander and the dried mint, taste for salt, and serve with lemon wedges.

Tips

• Freekeh is wheat, so this soup contains gluten; for a gluten-free version use short-grain rice or quinoa.
• For a vegetarian chorba, leave out the lamb and add diced carrot and courgette with the tomatoes.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

196 flavors taste.com.au