Ethiopian Shorba (ሾርባ (shorba))
Overview
Shorba is a warming spiced soup eaten in Ethiopia and Eritrea. The most common versions are made with lamb or beef simmered with onion, garlic, ginger and tomato, and thickened with red lentils, barley or cracked wheat. Berbere, the deep red Ethiopian spice blend of chilli, fenugreek, cardamom and other spices, gives it colour and heat, and a spoonful of niter kibbeh, spiced clarified butter, makes it rich. Green chillies and a squeeze of lemon are added at the end. It is lighter than the famous Ethiopian stews called wat and is often eaten as a starter or a light meal with bread.
History
The word shorba spread through the Horn of Africa from Arabic and Turkish, and similar soups are found from North Africa to the Indian Ocean. In Ethiopia it is especially popular during Ramadan among Muslim families and as a comforting meal in cold highland weather. It is also served in Ethiopian restaurants around the world as an easy introduction to the cuisine.
Main ingredients
Lamb or beef, red lentils, tomato, berbere spice, garlic and ginger, green chilli. The soup is built on meat broth and is usually served hot. Diet: contains meat; usually gluten-free.
Explore: Lentil soups · Beef soups · Lamb soups · Tomato soups
Recipe
Method
- 11 min
Fry the onion in the butter until soft, then add the garlic, ginger and berbere for 1 minute.
- 25 min
Add the meat and tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes.
- 340 min
Add the lentils and 1.5 l water and simmer for 40 minutes until the meat is tender.
- 4
Add the chillies, season and serve with lemon.
- ✓
Serve. About 1h 10m from start to bowl.
Sources
Description, history and recipe written by SoupWiki and checked against the sources above. Calories and times are rough estimates.
