Your email address is required to begin the subscription process. We will use it for customer service and other communications from Milk Street. You can unsubscribe from receiving our emails at any time.
North African Lamb, Chickpea and Bulgur Soup
Chorba frik, a North African soup, was the inspiration for this meal in a bowl. A staple dish during the month of Ramadan, chorba frik typically simmers meat (usually chunks of beef or lamb) with chickpeas and freekeh (green wheat that has been roasted and cracked). For a simple weeknight version, we use quick-cooking ground lamb that has been formed into small meatballs, canned chickpeas and coarse bulgur, which is easier to source than freekeh. We season the lamb with ras el hanout, an aromatic Moroccan spice blend; look for it in well-stocked supermarkets, spice shops or Middle Eastern grocery stores. Warm, crusty bread is a perfect paring.
4
Servings
Tip
Don’t use double concentrated tomato paste (the type often packaged in tubes). Its potent flavor will overwhelm the other ingredients. While the bulgur and meatballs simmer, don’t forget to stir occasionally to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
45 minutes
Ingredients
-
1
tablespoon ras el hanout (see headnote)
-
4
teaspoons dried mint
Directions
-
01In a medium bowl, stir together the ras el hanout, mint, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Add the lamb and 3 tablespoons water, then mix with your hands until well combined; set aside.
