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

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)

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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