Barley and lamb soup

Name: Barley and lamb soup (Shorbat frik)
Yield: Serves 6–8
Cuisine: Tunisian
Ingredients: 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped; 200 g (7 oz) cracked barley; vegetable oil, for frying; 400 g (14 oz) lamb’s neck or shoulder, cut into large chunks; 6 tbsp finely chopped flat leaf parsley leaves; 2–3 sticks celery, including leaves, thinly sliced; salt, to taste; juice of 1 large lemon (optional); 3 tbsp frozen peas; 1½ litres (2¾ pints) water; fresh coriander leaves, chopped, to garnish (optional); 50 g (1¾ oz) dried chickpeas, soaked overnight, drained and rinsed; 2 tbsp tomato purée; 6 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

Shorbat frik

Preparation info

Serves
6–8

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

The North African Kitchen

By Fiona Dunlop

Published 2008

About

This highly nutritious soup has a wonderful velvety texture thanks to the slow cooking and the consistency of the barley. Mina likes it so well cooked that the barley has almost melted into the juices. As there is relatively little meat, try to use lamb’s neck, which is full of flavour.

Ingredients

vegetable oil, for frying
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
200 g (7 oz)

Africa
Tunisia
Carthage
North Africa
Mediterranean
Soup

Method

In a large saucepan, heat a little vegetable oil and fry the onion over a medium heat until golden, then add the barley. Cook, stirring continuously, for 5 minutes then add the lamb, celery and parsley.
Add the garlic, chickpeas, tomato purée, peas and half the water. Simmer for a further 10 minutes then add the remaining water plus salt to taste.
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