Algerian Chorba Vegetarian Food

CHORBA FRIK

Steps:

• In a pressure cooker, brown the meat in olive oil.
• Add the garlic, scallions, tomatoes, and celery to meat. Add half the cilantro leaves and tomato paste. Add the chickpeas, stir and sauté over low heat covered for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the spices, salt, bay leaf, mint and hot water. Increase heat to bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium.
• Lock the pressure cooker and cook on medium heat for 1 hour.
• Open the pressure cooker and check the amount of liquid. Add a little boiling water if necessary.
• Add frik into the pan and cook for 10 to 15 minutes over low to medium heat, stirring regularly to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
• Turn off the heat and add remaining cilantro.

CHORBA HAMRA BEL FRIK (ALGERIAN LAMB, TOMATO, AND FREEKEH SOUP)

Steps:

• Place freekeh in a bowl and cover with cold water. Set aside.
• Combine lamb, onion, pepper, paprika, cinnamon, and salt in a pot. Add oil, 1/2 of the cilantro, 1/2 of the mint, and celery and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Stir in chickpeas and cover with a little water. Bring to a gentle simmer. Add tomato paste, zucchini, and carrot and mix well.
• Set a steamer over the pot and add tomatoes. Cover and steam tomatoes until soft, about 5 minutes. Crush tomatoes using a wooden spoon so pulp drips into the soup. Discard leftover tomato peels. Add potato and enough water to cover. Simmer until potato is soft, about 10 minutes.
• Drain freekeh and add to the soup. Simmer until soft, about 15 minutes. Remove celery stalk. Sprinkle soup with remaining cilantro and mint before serving.

ALGERIAN LENTIL SOUP (CHORBA ADAS)

Steps:

• Sauté the onion, carrots and celery with a glug of olive oil until soft. Add the garlic, spices and tomatoes and cook for a further 2 minutes.
• Add the lentil, stock, salt and pepper, cover and simmer for 30 mins or until lentils are soft.
• Squeeze on the lemon and add the chopped Corriander.

ALGERIAN CHORBA (VEGETARIAN)

Steps:

• Sautee onions and garlic in olive oil until onion is translucent. Add cilantro and veggies and spices and stir it around, then add water and cover.
• Let cook over medium heat until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.
• Take vegetables out when tender and mash or puree, then return to the pot.
• Add tomato paste, garbanzos, and bulgher wheat, cook another 10- 15 minutes. Add additional water if necessary (if soup looks too thick while cooking).

MY LOUBIA / LUBIA / LOOBIA - CLASSIC ALGERIAN BEANS!

Steps:

• The night before you want to make loubia, place the dried beans in a large bowl & cover with cold water. Allow to soak overnight, then rinse & drain before use.
• In a large stock pot, dutch oven or casserole dish (about 4.5 L capacity), seal the meat in the olive oil. Add the beans, paprika & cumin, mix well & cook on low heat for a few minutes.
• Pour 2 litres of water over the beans, add the salt & pepper. Cover & cook on a medium heat - so the loubia is on a fast simmer - for 1 hour.
• After 1 hour, add 500ml extra water & the pureed / liquidised tin of plum tomatoes / passata. Add the garlic, 2 tsp salt, 2 1/2 tsp paprika & 1 1/2 tsp cumin.
• Cover & cook for 30 minutes on medium heat as before.
• After 30 minutes, remove the lid & simmer uncovered for a further 30 minutes. Do not let the sauce become too thick as when you add the olive oil & vinegar for serving, it thicken the sacue up automatically.
• Check seasoning, you may need additional salt, then serve piping hot with plenty of fresh crusty bread.
• Either add 1 tablespoon of olive oil & 1-2 tsp vinegar to each bowl before serving or let people add it themselves at the table.

ALGERIAN CHICKEN & CHICKPEA SOUP ( CHORBA / SHORBA)

Steps:

• Place oil in a large pan, add the chicken & fry to seal all over. Add the spices & fry for a minute more.
• Add all the other ingredients except the coriander / cilantro, chickpeas & the lemon juice. Bring to the boil then reduce heat, cover & simmer 1 hour.
• Add the chickpeas to the pan. Take the chicken from the pan & remove all the meat from the bones, shred & put back into the pan. Simmer for a further 20 minutes.
• If the soup is the consistency you like, you can add the coriander / cilantro & lemon juice now. Simmer for 1 minute, re-season if desired & then serve.
• If you feel the soup needs to be a little thicker, you can either reduce it down by cooking further or thicken with plain flour.