Chorba Frik (Cracked wheat soup)

Any Algerian soup is called “Chorba”. It is usually made of fresh vegetables, may include lamb, fish, or chicken, add vermicelli, cracked wheat, or even bird’s tongue pasta.

Chorba is served on every occasion, and during the whole month of Ramadan. Chorba is always accompanied by the most popular appetizer bourek, or homemade matlu’e (popular bread made of semolina, flour, yeast, salt and water). Garnished with a quarter of a lemon, fresh cilantro and mint combined gives the authentic and amazing taste to the Chorba frik dish!

Nothing beats the cold like a spicy Algerian soup! Soup made with lamb chops is the most popular, however, to cut on the fat, I chose chicken breast instead.

4 servings – Prep. & cook time: 45 to 60 minutes

Ingredients:

1 chicken breast

1/2 zucchini

1 medium size onion

1 carrot, peeled and cut in half

1 tomato

2 stems of thyme

1 cup smoked green cracked wheat (frika)

celery stalk

½ cup cooked chickpeas.

1.5 liter of water or chicken or vegetable broth

1 tbs tomato paste

2 tbs vegetable oil

½ tbs salt

1/2 tbs ras al hanout

1 cinnamon stick

A handful chopped fresh cilantro

1 tbs fresh chopped mint.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Dutch oven pot (qidra)

2. Add all ingredients and frika included except cilantro and mint, add water and bring to boil

3. Let pot on medium heat until chicken is cooked

4. Turn off heat

5. Remove all vegetables, chicken from pot

6. Discard celery, thyme, cinnamon

7. Shred chicken breast and return to pot

8. Puree carrot, zucchini, onion, tomato with a cup of stock in a blender and return to pot [Do NOT use an immersion blender in the pot]

9. Add ½ cup of cooked chickpeas to the pot.

10. Bring the entire mixture to a boil for ten minutes

11. Remove from heat and allow to set

12. Serve in bowls with a coriander garnish