{Ramadan Special} – Shorba Frik from Asmaa of Halal Home Cooking
Salam and welcome to today’s post where Asmaa of Halal Home Cooking has bought in piping hot Algerian soup. I am really enjoying this diversity of this event. Asmaa is an English Muslimah….She learnt to master her cooking after her marriage….Her blog Halal Home Cooking focuses on Halal friendly world recipes and particularly recipes which are from her husbands home country Algeria. Do stop by at Halal Home Cooking to know more about Umm’s cooking and diverse recipes. Thank you Umm for taking out time and coming up with this scrumptious soup.
As-Salaamu Alaykum Wa Rahmatullah,
My family’s favourite type of Iftar (after the sunnah of dates and water) are soup and salad. Shorba Frik (Farik/Freekeh) also known as Jari, is a tomato and green wheat soup from the east of Algeria and is also popular in central Algeria, especially during Ramadan.The soup has a wonderful roasted nut / smoky flavour from the Freekah / green wheat. Harvested when yellow, young and full of moisture. It is specially processed by sun drying, burning the chaffs and lastly thrashed. It’s this thrashing or rubbing method how the grain got it’s name, from the Arabic word فريكة farik meaning rubbed. It has low gi and low insulin response, is high in fibre and high in protein approx, 60 percent higher than rice.
Traditionally the soup contains lamb pieces but as the freekeh is such a good source of protein it’s not essential. If you want to use meat or prefer a meat flavour but don’t have time on your hands you can always add in leftovers from a roast, use soup bones or meat stock instead of vegetable / water. Should you wish to use fresh meat; brown meat pieces along with the onion and garlic and cook soup for at least 1 hour before adding the freekah. If blending, remove meat and all bones before doing so.
Lastly, you are free to use a combination of herbs to flavour the soup such as coriander, mint and parsley however, I prefer using only coriander / cilantro so the smoky flavour of the freek doesn’t get lost.
Shorba Frik
Taken and slightly adapted from Sweetpea & Jasmine
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS:
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoon tomato purée with chilli * (double concentrated)
- 1 liter previously boiled water or vegetable stock
- 4 tablespoon freekeh (green wheat)
- handful of coriander leaves
- handful of chickpeas (pre-cooked or tinned), optional
- lemon, cut into wedges
PREPARATION:
- In a large stock pot, gently fry onion until translucent and soft.
- Add garlic and fry for 2 minutes.
- Add tomato purée cook for a further 2 minutes, stirring often. Add paprika, salt and black pepper, cook for 1 minute, again stirring often.
- Add water, increase heat and bring to boil. Meanwhile, place freekeh in fine meshed sieve and rinse under cold water then add freekeh to pot. Cover and reduce heat to simmer. Cook for 30 minutes.
- Carefully pour soup into blender, add herbs, cover and blend for 10 seconds. Return soup to pot. If using add chickpeas and cook for a few minutes.
- Serve with lemon wedges on the side so that people can add a squeeze of lemon juice if desired.
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NOTE: You can find updated list of entries till date @ Joy From Fasting To Feasting – VII.
nandoos Kitchen says
nice post dear..
Usha Rao says
Shorba looks so flavorful. I have not visited your blog in sometime. I usually read the posts in reader. I like the new look of the blog.