Chorba: Algerian Lamb, Chickpea and Tomato Soup
Lamb and onions simmer with turmeric, saffron and cinnamon, then chickpeas, grated tomato, potatoes and broken spaghetti thicken the broth. Dried mint, parsley and lemon brighten every bowl.
Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
- 1
Brown lamb and onions. Heat the oil in the casserole over medium-high heat and add the lamb and onions. Cook, stirring, for 8-10 minutes, until the meat has lost its raw colour and the onions have softened. This builds a savoury base before any liquid goes in.
- 2
Bloom the spices. Stir in the turmeric, saffron, cinnamon, salt and pepper and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Warm fat draws flavour and colour out of the spices far better than water does.
- 3
Simmer the lamb. Pour in the water, bring to the boil and skim off any foam. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Slow, gentle cooking starts to break down the connective tissue in the shoulder.
- 4
Add the vegetables. Add the chickpeas, grated tomatoes, tomato purée and potatoes, cover again and simmer for 20 minutes, until the lamb is tender and the potatoes are nearly soft. Grating the tomatoes leaves the skins behind and lets the pulp melt into the broth.
- 5
Cook the pasta. Add the broken spaghetti and simmer uncovered, stirring now and then, for 10-12 minutes, until the pasta is soft and the soup has thickened slightly. Add a splash of water if it gets too thick. The starch from the pasta gives chorba its silky body.
- 6
Finish and serve. Taste for salt, then rub the dried mint between your fingers over the pot. Ladle into bowls, scatter with parsley and squeeze over lemon at the table. Rubbing the mint releases its oils right before eating.
Storage
Refrigerate up to 3 days; the pasta keeps absorbing broth, so add water when reheating. Freeze (ideally before the pasta goes in) up to 3 months and reheat until piping hot. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Equipment
- large casserole or heavy pot (about 5 litres) with a lid
- wooden spoon
- box grater
- sharp knife
- ladle
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 449 kcal |
| Protein | 20.6 g |
| Carbohydrate | 43.6 g |
| of which sugars | 6.5 g |
| of which free sugars | 0.1 g |
| Fat | 21.7 g |
| of which saturates | 7.7 g |
| Fibre | 6.5 g |
| Salt | 1.36 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
4.6 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
