Shorbat adass

There are 3 versions of this humble soup that blew my mind. The first was at my great Tete Munawar’s house (Teta or Tete is the Levantine word for Grandma) when Swiss chard or as we say in Arabic sileq was in season, the second was after a 2 week juice fast in Istanbul, and the third was at Tawasol, an Emirati restaurant in Dubai that was the result of Bangladeshi cooks working in Emirati homes and subliminally infusing the soup with their spice mix

Tete Munuwar’s Shorbat adass

The swiss chard offers this lemony flavour and fibrous texture to the soup. If it’s not available, then it will have to do without it. It was nice to come across it when it was available.

Please note that the measurements below are only approximated. I rarely use tools and weights to measure, and have learnt through trial and error. I will however, say this. Lentils multiply in a way that’s explosive. I know this because, once a friend and I in university wanted to cook daal for 2. We assumed that that only meant that we would naturally need 2.5 cups of lentils. It didn’t. I took home a large tupperware of this delicious daal, and ate it for a week. 

Please assume that the measurements below indicate feeding 1-2 people.

You’ll need:

1 cup Lentils (red works best)

1 Onion- chopped

2-3 cloves Garlic- chopped

3 pinches of Cumin

3 pinches of Seven spice

2 cups Meat or vegetable broth - this can be a cube dissolved in 2 cups of water

1 bunch Swiss chard chopped

1 Lemon- juiced

Bonus:Throwing in Kibbeh

Saute the onions and garlic until golden, add the lentils and cover in the onion/garlic paste. Pour broth or water and add cumin and seven spice. If you like your soup smooth, feel free to hand blend it, or put it through a sieve. Roughly chop the Swiss chard and add to the mixture. 

Cook on low for an hour. Serve with lemon, black pepper, croutons or kibbeh.

The Istanbul Shorbat adass

A 2 week juice fast in Bodrum, and this was the first main meal that we had. I’ll never ever forget that soup. Nor will my parents. We left the restaurant with an epiphany- lentil soup had changed forever. 

You’ll need:

1 cup Lentils

1 Onion- chopped

2-3 cloves Garlic- chopped

3 pinches of Cumin

3 pinches of Seven spice

2 cups Meat or vegetable broth - this can be a cube dissolved in 2 cups of water

1 bunch Swiss chard chopped

1 Lemon- juiced

1 Tomato chopped

3-4 Carrots- chopped

1/2 Barley or oats

1 fist of Dill- chopped

1 fist of Parsley- chopped

Sauté  the onions and garlic until golden, add the lentils and cover in the onion/garlic paste. Add the rest of the vegetables. Pour broth or water and add cumin and seven spice. If you like your soup smooth, feel free to hand blend it, or put it through a sieve. Break freshly baked kaak bread, or a brioche on top of it. Sprinkle with black pepper, squeeze more lemon if need be.

Miss Maitha’s Shorbat adass

On our tour with Frying Pan Adventures, the lentil soup offered at Al Tawasol restaurant was central in explaining the cross pollination of flavours melded together from the Gulf and the Sub-Continent.

You’ll need:

1 cup Lentils

1 Onion- chopped

2-3 cloves Garlic- chopped

2-3 pinches of bzaar (the Gara Masala of the Khaleej)

2 cups Meat or vegetable broth - this can be a cube dissolved in 2 cups of water

1 Dried lime- pierced with a fork

1-2 Chillies- chopped

Puncture the dried lime. Saute the onions and garlic until golden, add the lentils and cover in the onion/garlic paste. Add the Bzaar, dried lime and pour the broth/water. If you like your soup smooth, feel free to hand blend it, or put it through a sieve.

Serve with chillies and lemon on the side.