Globecooking recipe : Frik Chorba (Tunisia)

Chorba is a rich, hearty Tunisian soup (more of a stew really) made with lamb, barley and vegetables, which will warm your heart and your belly !

It used two products from the Tunisian-themed Kitchen Trotter box - ground caraway seeds and a bag of frik, or barley couscous, which is traditionally used in chorba. You could use regular couscous instead though.

Frik Chorba

ingredients :

a drizzle of oil

250g lamb (I used 500g on the bone)

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 tin chickpeas

2 onions, chopped

a stick of celery

1tbsp paprika

1tbsp ground caraway

1tbsp garlic granules

1tbsp cumin

salt, pepper

fresh coriander to garnish

Heat the oil in a large pan and brown the lamb on all sides.

Add the onions and celery. (I left the celery out.)

Add the spices and salt, give it a good stir and leave to cook for a few minutes for the flavours to mingle.

Looking and smelling good already !

Time to throw in the tomatoes.

Then pour in a litre of boiling water. Pop on a lid and leave to simmer for 40 minutes, until the meat is falling off the bones.

Rinse the frik in cold water until it stops releasing loads of starch. Add to the pot, along with the chick peas.

Cook for about 20 minutes, stirring regularly so that the frik doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan and burn. Add extra hot water if needed. Before serving, taste and adjust the seasoning - I added some more spices for an extra kick.

The perfect winter warmer and it's not spicy so the whole family will enjoy it.

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Fancy trying some more Tunisian cuisine? How about mechouia blankit, ojja or quick midweek couscous ?