Egyptian Spinach Soup Recipes

EGYPTIAN SPINACH SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and saute the onion until soft.
• Add the turmeric and cook a further minute to let the spice warm through.
• Add the stock, scallions, rice, salt and pepper.
• Simmer gently for approximately 15 minutes until the rice is cooked.
• Do not overcook.
• Cut the spinach into chiffonade, add to pan and cook for another five minutes.
• To serve hot: Beat yogurt and garlic into the soup, and reheat gently so the yogurt does not curdle.
• To serve cold: Allow soup to cool, add yogurt and garlic and puree.
• NOTE: 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Madras curry powder can be substituted for the turmeric, depending on how fragrant you want your soup to be.

EGYPTIAN MOLOKHEYA (GREEN SPINACH-LIKE SOUP)

Steps:

• Fill large stock pot with water, bring to a boil, add add sliced onions, carrot and celery. Add 2 chicken bouillon cubes and whole chicken or hen, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Cover and cook until chicken tender approximately 1-2 hours.
• Skim fats from water, strain out vegetables, remove chicken and reserve about 4 cups of the broth in pot.
• While broth is simmering on real low, add bag of molokheya and a teaspoon of ground coriander, salt & pepper and a dash of cumin to the broth. (Easy way to get bag into pot: I've found by just snipping top of plastic bag, then holding over hot pot, and sliding the molokheya into the pot, the steam helps it slide out easy) DO NOT COVER.
• Add the chopped tomato and onion into the pot, just a little, as stated, 1 slice tomato, 1 slice onion, both chopped.
• Preparing the "tasha" (this is what makes the molokheya famous & tasty too): Put 2 tablespoons oil into small frying pan.
• Add crushed garlic, stir until a golden brown, add teaspoon ground coriander and the few smashed coriander seeds, stir until all dry and formed together.
• Drop this into pot of molokheya while hot, you should hear a "tsshhh" sound, if so you did it- congratulations!
• Continue cooking on low heat for approximately 10 minutes, its ready to serve.
• To serve: Brown the chicken in a pan full of melted butter and serve with white steamed rice with lightly fried vermicelli pieces. (I will post recipe for this simple, yet delicious rice).
• Spoon the molokheya into bowls and let your guests spoon onto rice or dip their warm pita breads into their bowls!
• *** Sometimes I prepare a red sauce to spoon into each individual bowl, or serve next to the molokheya bowls- its tangy and a good complement to this dish. Just take 3 slices onions, brown in butter, add two tablespoons of tomato paste, salt & pepper, a dash of cumin, add some red chili sauce (shaata) and water, cook for 20 minutes, tastes should be tangy, not too thick, with a bit of tanginess and heat.***.

EGYPTIAN SPINACH STEW

Steps:

• Soak hummus in hot water for 30 minutes.
• in a pot heat 1 tbsp crisco, add onion, allspice, salt and pepper, sautÉ till translucent. stir in ground beef continue cook until meat is browned. drain hummus and add to pot, stir.
• cook for 2 minutes on medium then add 1/2 cup water. cook for approx another 10 minutes till hummus has softened a bit. add more water if needed.
• add tomato sauce cover and simmer for about 30 minutes till hummus is cooked. add spinach continue to simmer.
• in a separate pan add reserved tbsp crisco, garlic, cilantro a pinch more salt and pepper cook on medium till fragrant and garlic is just pink. add to the spinach mixture and more water just to cover, continue cooking on medium low for another 10 minutes.
• serve over rice.
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