Soup for Syria
Soup. Simply uttering that word can make you feel warm, loved, safe. When we want to comfort and nourish those around us, soup is what we turn to.
When Lebanon resident and author Barbara Abdeni Ma...
“Soup is the ultimate comfort food: nurturing, sustaining, and all good things. One recipe is a drop in the ocean but, if awareness of the plight of the Syrian refugees is raised with each batch made and shared, then that is a force for good. As well as being a delicious meal in and of itself.” —Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi
Ingredients
SERVINGS: 4 Serving(s)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 chicken thighs (1 1⁄4 lb/600 g), bone in and skin on
- 2 medium onions, peeled and quartered
- 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into 1 inch (3 cm) chunks
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 2 whole Iranian dried limes, pierced with a knife a couple of times
- Small handful (30 g) parsley, tied into a bunch
- 20 whole black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 9 oz (250 g) cooked cannellini beans (canned are fine)
- About 1 tablespoon lime juice, to serve
- About 1⁄2 cup (10 g) picked cilantro leaves, to serve
Dumplings
- 9 oz (250 g) ground chicken (or turkey if unavailable)
- 1 1⁄2 tablespoons (25 g) melted unsalted butter
- 1 cup (100 g) chickpea (gram) flour
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped in a food processor (6 oz/180 g net)
- 1⁄2 cup (10 g) parsley, finely chopped
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1⁄4 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 tablespoon rosewater
- 1⁄4 teaspoon crushed black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Heat the oil in a medium stockpot on medium heat. Add the chicken thighs and sauté lightly for 8 minutes, turning once.
Add the onions, carrot, turmeric, dried limes, parsley, peppercorns, and salt. Pour over 6 cups (1.5 l) water, bring to agentle simmer, cover, and cook for 40 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove all the chicken and vegetables from thepan (keep the chicken to make a salad or a sandwich filling). Return the limes to the liquid and set aside.
Place all the dumpling ingredients in a mixing bowl. Mix well and, with wet hands, shape the mixture into 16 rounddumplings weighing between 1 and 11/2 oz (30 and 35 g) each.
Bring the broth to a gentle boil and add the cannellini beans. Carefully lower the dumplings into the broth, cover with a lid,and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes. The dumplings will expand in the liquid. Remove the lid and simmer for another20 minutes, until a concentrated soup consistency and flavor is reached. Add more water, or reduce the liquid for longer, ifnecessary. Serve the soup with a drizzle of lime juice and the picked cilantro.
About this recipe
Reprinted from Soup for Syria.
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