Asparagus Rice Soup

Asparagus grows wild between prickly pear cactus plants in the southern Gaza District, where this soup comes from. Mediterranean wild asparagus has a strong and aromatic taste that is quite bitter; the stalks must be blanched or soaked in salted water and lemon juice overnight to rid them of their unpleasant taste. For this soup, any store-bought asparagus will do and won’t require soaking. Again, if you don’t have time to make the basic broth, use packaged broth and add the whole spices li