Aash-e Gojeh-Farangi (Irani or Persian)
Serves 4
Ingredients
• 200 gm basmati or long-grain rice
• 1 kg herbs (parsley, mint, coriander, spring-onion ends)
• 500 gm ground lamb
• 3 tbsp split peas
• 5-6 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp marjoram
• 1 tbsp mint
• 4 large onions
• cooking oil
• salt
• black pepper
Directions
1. Peel and slice two onions and fry in oil until slightly golden. Add 4-5 glasses of hot water, split-peas, salt and pepper and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes. Wash rice and add to the aash. Cook for another 15-20 minutes.
2. Peel and grate two onions. Add to meat with salt and pepper and mix well. Shape into small balls and add to the aash.
3. Wash herbs, chop finely, add to the aash, and cook for another 15-20 minutes. Add in tomato paste and marjoram (if fresh marjoram is used, it should be finely chopped). Mix well and cook for a few more minutes.
4. Fry mint in oil for a few minutes (if fresh mint is used, it should be finely chopped before frying).
5. Add mint on top of the aash and serve.
Aash-e Shalgham (Irani or Persian)
Serves 4
Ingredients
• 500 gm turnip
• 100 gm long grain or basmati rice
• 200 gm ground lamb
• 2 large onions
• 50 gm split peas
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 100 gm mint fresh or 2 tsp dried
• cooking oil
• salt
• black pepper
Directions
1. Mix ground meat with grated onions, salt and black pepper. Shape into small balls, and fry in oil until colour changes. Add 4-5 glasses of hot water and split peas and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes.
2. Wash turnip and rice. Peel turnip and cut into a few pieces. Add both to aash. Also add turmeric, salt and black pepper. Mix well and cook over low heat for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. If using fresh mint, wash and chop finely. Fry mint in oil over medium heat for 2-3 minutes and pour over aash when serving.
Turkish Garbanzo Bean, Tomato, Carrot & Pasta Soup
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
1½ Spanish onions, finely diced
2 Large carrots, finely diced
2 Stalks celery, finely diced
4 cups chicken broth
½ tbsp ground cumin
½ tbsp ground coriander
1 cup garbanzo beans (chick peas)
1 cup diced tomatoes
½ Cup short uncooked pasta
Directions
1. Heat olive oil and saute onions, carrots and celery until soft.
2. Add chicken broth and seasoning and simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes.
3. Add beans, tomatoes and pasta and cook until pasta is tender.
North America’s Garbanzo Soup
Ingredients
Stock
• 10 cups water
• 5 cloves garlic
• 3 fresh oregano sprigs
• 2 whole cloves
• 1 tbs. salt
• 1 tbs. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 3 bay leaves, broken
• 1 or 2 fresh basil sprigs (may substitute 1 tsp. dried basil)
• 5 chicken bouillon cubes
• 1 frying chicken cut up
Vegetables
• Juice of two limes
• 1 medium zucchini, chopped
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 cups garbanzo beans, drained
Optional garnishes
• Cooked rice
• Sliced avocados
• Fresh salsa
Directions
To make stock
Bring the water to a boil, and then add all the stock ingredients, including the chicken. Skim the foam from the top as the soup simmers for 1 to 1 1/2 hr. Remove the chicken, debone it and shred the meat when cool. Strain the stock and chill. This hardens the fat for easy removal.
To make soup
1. Remove fat from stock. Reheat and add the juice of two limes. Add all the vegetables except the beans and cook just until tender-crisp, about 20 minutes.
2. Add the shredded chicken and garbanzo beans. Heat until chicken and beans are hot throughout.
3. To serve the soup, ladle into large soup bowls. Garnish with sliced avocados and fresh salsa.
West African Peanut Soup
Serves 10
Ingredients
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 medium onions, very finely diced
• 2 large bell peppers, (any color) finely chopped
• 6 large cloves garlic, minced
• 3 ½ cup chopped tomatoes with juice
• 8 cups vegetable broth
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup uncooked rice
• 2 cups creamy peanut butter
• chopped roasted peanuts (optional)
Directions
1. Heat olive oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Cook onion, bell pepper, and garlic until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes with their juice, vegetable broth, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
2. Add rice to soup and stir. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 25 minutes, or until rice is tender.
3. When rice is cooked, whisk in peanut butter and return to a simmer, and serve. Garnish with chopped roasted peanuts, if desired.
African Tomato-Avocado-Buttermilk Soup
Serves 8
Ingredients
• 1.5 kg Tomatoes, peeled and seeded
• 2 tbsp Tomato paste
• 1 cup Buttermilk
• 1 tbsp Olive oil
• 2 tbsp Finely minced fresh parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Hot pepper sauce
• Avocado, mashed to a puree
• Juice of 1 lemon
Garnish
• Cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
• sour cream
Directions
1. Puree tomatoes in a food processor or food mill, then press through a sieve to remove seeds.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the pureed tomatoes, tomato paste, buttermilk, and oil.
3. Toss pureed avocado with 1 tablespoon lemon juice to hold the color.
4. Add the avocado, remaining lemon juice, and parsley to the tomato mixture; stir to mix well.
5. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and a generous number of drops of hot pepper sauce.
Refrigerate several hours before serving. At serving time, taste soup for seasonings.
6. Ladle into individual bowl and have guest garnish their portions with cucumber and sour cream.
7. Pass hot pepper sauce around to add more piquancy.
West African Potato Soup with Parsley or Nutmeg
Ingredients
• 25g butter
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 550g potatoes, peeled and sliced
• 700 ml chicken or vegetable stock
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 300 ml milk
• 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg or 3 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
• 3 tbsp double cream (optional)
Directions
1. Melt the butter in a pan and add the onion and potatoes. Cook gently for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, without browning.
2. Add the stock and seasoning. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer gently for 20-25 minutes until the vegetables are very soft.
3. Now cool, blend and strain.
4. Return the soup to the pan and stir in the milk and nutmeg or parsley. Bring to the boil then simmer gently for 5 minutes.
Stir in the cream (if using), just before serving.
5. Serve topped with crunchy croutons made by browning some small cubes of bread in butter or oil.
South Africa Corn Soup
Serves 8
Ingredients
• 1 cup yellow onions
• 1 cup fresh tomatoes
• 2 cups canned kernel corn
• 2 cups cream styled canned corn
• 1 can evaporated milk
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp black pepper
Directions
1. In a pan, saute chopped onions and tomatoes in butter and then simmer for 3 minutes.
2. Now add rest of the ingredients and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Serve piping hot with crackers.
Note
The key ingredient to make a creamy textured soup is evaporated milk, so instead of using cream or milk use evaporated milk in your New England style clam or fish chowder.
Egyptian Bean and Vegetable Soup - Full Nabed
Serves 6
Ingredients
• 1 cup Chopped onions
• 2 cup Canned or cooked beans
• 1 cup Chopped fresh tomatoes
• 1/4 cup Chopped fresh parsley
• 3 1/2 cup Vegetable stock
• 1 Large carrot, chopped
• Garlic cloves, pressed
• 1/4 cup Olive oil
• 1 tsp Ground cumin seeds
• 1 1/2 tsp Sweet Hungarian paprika
• 1/4 tsp Cayenne
• Bay leaves
• tbsp Fresh lemon juice
• Salt and freshly ground Black pepper to taste
• Fresh mint leaves (optional)
Directions
1. In a large pan, saute the onions and garlic in the olive oil until the onions are translucent.
2. Add the cumin, paprika, cayenne, bay leaves, and carrots and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the chopped tomatoes and vegetable stock and simmer until the carrots are tender, about 15 minutes.
4. Finally, add the cooked beans and the parsley and lemon juice. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Serve with Pita Bread and garnished with fresh mint leaves.
Egyptian Green Herb Soup - Milookhiyya
Serves 6
Ingredients
4 cups Stock
1 cup Milookhiyya (spinach) washed & shredded
1 tbsp Tomato paste
Salt, Black pepper, freshly ground
2 tsp Garlic, finely chopped
2 tsp Ground coriander
2 tbsp Olive oil
Directions
1. In a heavy pan, bring stock to a boil over high heat. Stir in the milookhiyya, tomato paste, salt and a few grindings of the pepper and reduce the heat to low. Stirring occasionally, simmer for about 20 minutes.
2. Lightly brown the crushed garlic and corriandar and add to the soup. Simmer for 5 more minutes.
3. Taste for seasoning and serve.