Name: Wheat and Lamb Soup (Shorbet Lahme)
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Cuisine: Yemen
Ingredients: 1 cup coarsely ground/cracked wheat berries (bulgur or rice can be substituted); 5 cups water; 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro; 1 tablespoon chopped parsley; 1 spicy green pepper, seeded and chopped (may substitute with a mild pepper); 1 teaspoon tomato paste (optional); 1 onion, diced; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 2 cloves garlic; 1 small tomato, chopped; 250 grams lamb shoulder chop, cut into 1-cm (½-inch) cubes; 1 teaspoon ground turmeric; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1 teaspoon Yemeni spice mix (see fahsa recipe); Seeds from 3 cardamom pods; 1 small piece cinnamon stick (3 to 4 cm/1 to 1 ½ inches) long; 1 dried bay leaf

Preparation info

4 to 6
servings

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

The Cuisine of Life

By Center for International Private Enterprise

Published 2019

About

This soup is well-known in Yemen, where its hearty and filling qualities make it a fine choice to serve during Ramadan.

Hayat’s aunt cooks the green pepper with the onion, but Hayat prefers to keep it as a garnish at the end, as her father taught her. You can also make the soup with chicken instead of lamb.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
250 grams lam

Method

Warm the oil in a large pot set over medium-high heat, then add the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Add the lamb, spices, bay leaf, garlic, tomato and the tomato paste, if using. Add the water, then bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer; cook until the meat is tender, 30 to 45 minutes.

Add the coarsely ground wheat and si