Book of Days Tales

Purple Hijab Day was begun by Muslim women in Libya to protest domestic violence against women. Since its inception the day has spread across the Islamic world and farther afield. Muslim women wear a purple hijab today, but you can also wear a purple scarf, or some other purple item.

A Libyan recipe is called for, and lamb/mutton soup is my choice because lamb is so common in the region’s dishes. This would have been a mutton soup at one time, but mutton is virtually impossible to find now. Use stewing lamb such as flank or breast. The recipe calls for dried mint, but I strongly suggest using fresh. It’s super easy to grow. The recipe also calls for chicken stock, but I usually make a stock from lamb bones.

Ingredients

1 lb. lamb stewing meat, cubed
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
3 Roma tomatoes, chopped fine
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 tsp. dried mint or 1 Tbsp chopped fresh
¼  cup parsley, chopped
¼  cup pearl couscous
1 can garbanzo beans, drained
1 tsp. paprika
¼ tsp. turmeric
¼ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. black pepper
4 cups chicken or lamb broth
5 cardamom pods
2 bay leaves
1 lemon

Instructions

Heat the oil in a heavy pot. Season the lamb cubes with salt and add to the pan, in batches, until the meat is seared. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Add the cardamom, onion and tomato, and cook, stirring, until the onion starts to soften.  Add the paprika, turmeric, pepper, cinnamon, and bay leaves, and continue to cook until the tomato breaks down. Add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes more.

Add the lamb back to the pan, along with its juices, parsley, garbanzo beans, and chicken broth, and bring to a slow simmer. Cover and cook for at least 90 minutes or until the lamb is tender.

Add the mint and pearl couscous. Simmer for 10 – 15 minutes more or until the couscous is tender. Remove the cardamom pods and bay leaves if you can. Squeeze both halves of the lemon into the soup and stir to combine.

Serve immediately.