Yemenite Soup Recipes

YEMENITE CHICKEN SOUP

Steps:

• Hawaii spice mix: Toast cloves, coriander, black peppercorns, cumin, caraway, cardamom pods, and celery seed in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Shake occasionally to prevent burning. Remove from heat, then set aside in a bowl to cool completely.
• Grind spices finely, adding in turmeric, cinnamon, and salt. Sift through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl. If not using right away, store the blend in a tightly sealed container for up to one month. Makes ½ cup.
• Chicken soup: Roughly chop onion, celery, garlic, and carrots. In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, sauté vegetables in oil until soft and onions are translucent, 8-10 minutes. Add Hawaii spice mix and stir to combine.
• Add stock to the vegetables. Roughly chop parsley and cilantro (including stems) and add to the pot. Bring soup to a gentle simmer. Meanwhile, season chicken with salt on both sides and add to the pot. Cover and simmer 30 minutes. Add diced potatoes and cook another 15 minutes, until chicken pulls from the bone and potatoes are tender.
• Assembly: Place a piece of chicken into a bowl. Ladle vegetables around the chicken, followed by a ladle of broth. Garnish with fresh cilantro and a drizzle of tahini. Serve hot.

YEMENITE BEEF AND CHICKEN SOUP

Steps:

• In a large pot, place water, beef and marrow bones and bring to boil.
• Lower heat and add garlic, onions, parsley and dill.
• Cut a cross in the tomato (do not cut all the way through) and add to pot.
• Cover pot and simmer 20 minutes.
• Add the chicken and bring to boil.
• Add carrots (peeled but whole), celery, curry and cumin.
• Lower heat and simmer 20 minutes until cooked.
• Refrigerate overnight.
• In the morning, skim the layer of fat off the top. Fish out the chicken, remove the skin and bones, cut chicken into pieces and return chicken pieces to pot.
• Add zucchini, potatoes, hawaij and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer covered 10 minutes.
• Add lemon juice. Remove marrow. Garnish with cilantro.
• Good served with z'chug (Yemenite chili pepper paste) and hilbe (Yemenite fenugreek paste) to taste.

YEMENITE HIGH HOLY DAY SOUP

Steps:

• Child: Store the celery, zucchini, carrots, tomato, and potatoes in separate covered containers in the refrigerator until you need them the next day. The potatoes must be in cold water or they will turn a terrible gray color.
• Adult with Child: Place the beef and chicken in a large kettle with enough water to cover them. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, until a froth forms. Remove the meat and bones and discard the water. Clean the kettle.
• Child: Put the beef and bones back in the kettle and cover with fresh water. Bring to a boil again. Lower the heat and add the unpeeled garlic cloves (by being left in their skins, they won't soften in cooking). Add the onions, turnip, and leeks or green onions. Cook, covered, about 1 1/2 hours, or until the meat seems fairly tender.
• Adult: Remove the marrow bones, add the chicken, cover, and simmer another 20 minutes. Let cool and refrigerate overnight.
• Child: Bring the soup to a boil. Add the celery, zucchini, carrots, tomato, and potatoes. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer another 20 minutes. Just before serving, add the parsley or coriander, salt, and hawayij, and cook, covered, for a few minutes.
• Adult: Remove the garlic cloves. Adjust the seasonings.
• Eat by dipping bread into the soup, scooping up the meat and vegetables and/or the sauce.

YEMENITE SOUP

Steps:

• Mix cumin, turmeric, and pepper.
• Put beef in a large pot and sprinkle with salt and spice mixture.
• Cook for about 5 minutes, turning occasionally.
• Add onion and tomatoes and enough boiling water to cover meat.
• Bring to a boil and skim foam from surface.
• Cover and cook over low heat for about 2 hours.
• Peel the potatoes and add to the soup, if necessary, add water to cover.
• Cook over low heat until meat and potatoes are tender (about 1 additional hour) Adjust seasoning, remove onion and tomatoes.
• Serve and enjoy!

MARAK TEMANI (YEMENITE BEEF SOUP)

Steps:

• Combine the bones, onions, cilantro and water in a soup pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. Skim any foam off the surface as it develops.
• Add the beef, hawaij, salt and pepper, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the meat is nearly tender, about 1 hour. Skim any foam off the surface as it develops.
• Add the potatoes and carrots and continue cooking until the potatoes are soft and the meat is fully tender, about 30 minutes. Remove the bones before serving. Serve accompanied with slices of pita bread.