Best Libyan Soup Recipes

LIBYAN SOUP

Steps:

• Heat oil in a four-quart casserole or saucepan. Add onion and lamb or chicken and cook, stirring frequently, until just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, paprika, cayenne or harissa, saffron and salt and pepper. Stir, then add 8 cups water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes.
• Add orzo and chickpeas and cook 15 minutes, until orzo is tender. Add cilantro and parsley. Taste and adjust salt and cayenne or harissa. Add dried mint. Cook for 5 minutes, then serve.

SHORBA LIBIYA - LIBYAN LAMB & CHICKPEA SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large casserole or stock pot. Gently fry the onion for a few minutes, until pale golden & soft.
• Add the lamb, chickpeas, tomato puree, spices & salt, cooking for a few more minutes & stirring well.
• Add the water to the pot, this should cover the mixture - add 1/4 litre more if required. (If adding extra water, remember that you'll need to add a little extra spice & salt to compensate).
• Cover & simmer over a medium heat for approx 45-50 minutes or until the lamb is tender & the soup flavourful. You may add a little extra water again at this point but remember to adjust the seasoning if you do.
• Add the dried mint & the lemon, return to the heat for a further 3-4 minutes then serve.
• Serve each bowl of shorba with a sprig of fresh mint & a lemon wedge on the side.

LIBYAN LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• Combine lentils, water, garlic, carrots, onion, tomato, cumin and salt.
• Cook until thick and mushy.
• For garnish, fry onions in olive oil until dark and crispy, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
• Put soup in bowl; top with onion; and squeeze lemon on top.
• Can put olive oil on top if you want.
• Can serve with flatbread.

SHARBA LIBYA ( LIBYAN SOUP)

Steps:

• Saute the onion with meat in oil.
• Add parsley and saute until meat is brown.
• Add chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, spices, and stir while sizzling.
• Add enough water to cover meat, simmer on medium heat until meat is cooked.
• Add more water if needed, and bring to a boil.
• Add orzo, simmer until cooked.
• Before serving, sprinkle crushed dried mint leaves, and squeeze fresh lemon juice to taste.
• Variations:.
• More parsley can be added at the end when orzo is almost cooked to give fresher parsley flavor.
• Spices may be added to the meat while sauteing so it will absorb the salt and spices. Then add tomato and simmer longer for the tomato to be cooked in the oil.
• Sustitute chicken or beef for lamb.
• Add uncooked soaked chick peas with the meat.
• Add cilantro with the parsley.

LIBYAN SOUP

Steps:

• 1. Heat oil in a four-quart casserole or saucepan. Add onion and lamb or chicken and cook, stirring frequently, until just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, paprika, cayenne or harissa, saffron and salt and pepper. Stir, then add 8 cups water. Bring to simmer and cook for 45 minutes. 2. Add orzo (or other grain) and chickpeas and cook 15 minutes until grain is tender. Add cilantro and parsley. Taste and adjust salt and cayenne or harissa. Add dried mint. Cook for 5 minutes, thn serve.

LIBYAN SOUP WITH COUSCOUS

Steps:

• MethodBegin by pre-heating a small frying pan over a medium heat, then add the coriander and cumin seeds and dry-roast them for about 2-3 minutes, moving them around the pan until they change colour and begin to dance. This will draw out their full spicy flavour. Now crush them quite finely with a pestle and mortar. Next, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large (6 pint/3.5 litre) saucepan and gently cook the onion until soft and lightly browned, for about 5 or 6 minutes, then add the crushed garlic and sea salt and let that cook for another 2 minutes. After that, add the crushed seeds, the allspice and chilli powder and stir them into the juices in the pan. Now transfer all of this to a plate and keep it aside while you heat the other tablespoon of oil in the same pan until it's very hot. Then add the pieces of lamb and brown them, quickly turning them over and keeping them on the move. Turn the heat down and now return the onion and spice mixture to the pan to join the meat, adding the tomato purée, chopped chilli and caster sugar. Stir everything together, then add the stock and 1½ pints (850 ml) water. Give it all another good stir then drain the soaked chickpeas, discarding their soaking liquid, and add these to the pan. Give a final stir, then put a lid on and simmer as gently as possible for 1 hour or until the chickpeas are tender. When you're ready to serve the soup, taste it, add some salt, then add the couscous, parsley and mint and take the pan off the heat. Put the lid back on and let it stand for 3 minutes before serving in hot soup bowls. Serve with lemon wedges to squeeze into the soup and some warm pitta bread.