Name: Shorbat frik (Tunisian soup)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 h 45 min
Total time: 1 h 55 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Tunisian
Ingredients: 3 garlic cloves crushed; 1 tbsp ras el hanout crushed with a pestle and mortar; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 small onion chopped; 1 tsp paprika; 2 pinches of cayenne pepper; 85g tomato purée; 500g lamb or chicken cut into small pieces; 60g freekeh; 2 tbsp celery chopped; 2 tbsp dried chickpeas soaked overnight; 2 tbsp coriander leaves chopped; ½ tsp dried mint

A blue pattened bowl filled with a tomatoey soup, topped with chopped green herbs with slices of bread on the side

3 garlic cloves
crushed
1 tbsp ras el hanout
crushed with a pestle and mortar
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion
chopped
1 tsp paprika
2 pinches of cayenne pepper
85g tomato purée
500g lamb or chicken
cut into small pieces
60g freekeh
2 tbsp celery
chopped
2 tbsp dried chickpeas
soaked overnight
2 tbsp coriander leaves
chopped
½ tsp dried mint

Method

step 1
Mix the garlic and ras el hanout. In a large pan, heat the oil over a medium heat. Gently fry the garlic and ras el hanout, onion, paprika, cayenne, tomato purée and some seasoning, and gently fry for 3-4 mins or until fragrant.
step 2
Add the lamb or chicken and continue to fry gently – if needed, add a little water to stop the meat sticking to the pan.
step 3
When the meat is golden, add the chickpeas and enough water to make a soup – about a litre should be right; you can always add more later on in the cooking process.
step 4
Add the freekeh and celery, and lower the heat to simmer for 50 mins-1 hr or until the meat and chickpeas are tender. Check and taste after 30 mins – you may need to add more water or seasoning. When almost ready, add coriander leaves and dried mint. Serve hot with your favourite fresh bread.