Author Notes
This is a delicious variation on traditional chicken soup, with spice combinations you've probably never tasted before. I'll show you how to make all the Yemenite spices so you'll get it just right: hawayij (a spice combination), z'hug (a hot sauce used in soups or as a condiment, or even a rub for fish or chicken), and hilbe (a creamy sauce often added to soups). One note: The hilbe requires soaking fenugreek powder for three hours, so you'll want to get that soaking *first*; the rest of the spices you can make while the soup is cooking. —Joan Nathan
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Ingredients
- The Soup
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1
chicken, 3-4 lbs., cut into 8 pieces
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2
large onions
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8
garlic cloves, peeled
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1
large tomato, quartered but not cut all the way through
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2
stalks celery
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3
carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch rounds
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3
potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
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1/4 bunch
parsley, finely chopped
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1/4 bunch
dill, finely chopped
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1/4 bunch
cilantro, finely chopped
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2 tablespoons
salt, or to taste
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2 tablespoons
hawayij (see spice ingredients below)
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2 tablespoons
z'hug (see spice ingredients below)
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1/3 cup
hilbe (see spice ingredients below)
- The Spices
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2 tablespoons
black peppercorns (for hawayij)
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1 tablespoon
black caraway seeds (for hawayij)
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1 teaspoon
cumin seeds (for hawayij)
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1 teaspoon
coriander seeds (for hawayij)
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1 teaspoon
cardamom seeds (for hawayij)
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2 teaspoons
turmeric (for hawayij)
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1 pinch
saffron (optional) (for hawayij)
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4
green serrano or jalapeno peppers, stems removed and seeds removed but reserved (for z'hug)
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1
whole head of garlic (for z'hug)
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1/2 bunch
fresh cilantro, rinsed and dried (for z'hug)
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1/2 bunch
fresh parsley, rinsed and dried (for z'hug)
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2
green cardamom pods, peeled (for z'hug)
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1 teaspoon
cumin (for z'hug)
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1 teaspoon
salt (for z'hug)
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1/2 cup
olive oil (for z'hug)
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3 tablespoons
fenugreek powder (for hilbe)
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1/2 cup
water (for hilbe)
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juice of 1/2 lemon (for hilbe)
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1 teaspoon
salt (for hilbe)
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1 teaspoon
z'hug (see recipe above) (for hilbe)
Directions
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First, 1-2 hours before you begin cooking the soup, start soaking the fenugreek powder to make the hilbe (see spice ingredients).
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Then start making the soup: Put chicken in a large pot and cover with water by three inches. Bring to a boil, skimming off scum, and let it boil for 30 minutes.
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While soup is boiling, make the hawayij: To make hawayij, pound peppercorns, caraway seeds, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cardamom seeds, turmeric, and (optional) saffron using a mortar and pestle, or use a small food processor.
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After soup has been boiling for 30 minutes, add onions, garlic, tomato, celery, salt, and hawayij. Simmer for another hour, until chicken is tender.
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While soup is simmering, make the z'hug: Put peppers, garlic, cilantro, parsley, cumin, cardamom, and salt in a food processor. Begin processing and gradually add 1/4 cup olive oil, then puree. Adjust for seasonings, adding pepper seeds if you want more heat. Remove contents to a glass container and cover with olive oil. (This will keep for months in a refrigerator in an airtight jar.)
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Now, make the hilbe: The fenugreek seeds should soak in water for at least 3 hours, until the mixture is gelatinous. Add z'hug, lemon juice, and salt, then beat until smooth using an electric hand mixer or whisk. Adjust seasonings. It should be very spicy.
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After the soup has been simmering for an hour, add carrots, potatoes, and all but two tablespoons of the parsley, dill, and cilantro. Cook until vegetables are cooked through.
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Stir in z'hug and hilbe, and serve as is, or over rice. Sprinkle remaining herbs on top.
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