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Today my sister-in-law and I made Libyan sharba, a type of soup used to break the fast in Ramadan.  But it is also eaten throughout the winter months.  It can be made for special occasions and when visitors come. Basically it’s pretty much a staple in any Libyan household.

In different Libyan cities, small variations can be found in a few ingredients. For example, some families in Benghazi will add cilantro, but in other parts, they may add rosewater or dry mint.   For meat, you may use chicken or lamb. You may also add beef, but no matter which meat you choose, just make sure it’s cut into small cubes.

Related Post: Discover Libya

Libyan Sharba Soup Recipe

Today we made some for my mother who just had surgery to make her feel better.  These are the staple ingredients we used.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon of tomato paste

1 teaspoon of mint

1/4 tablespoon citric acid

1/4 of a cup of olive oil

1 Onion

2 chicken breasts

1 tablespoon of tomato paste

1/4 cup of star shaped noodles

Parsley

Cilantro

Turmeric

Paprika (or Cayenne if you want an extra kick)

Step-By-Step Recipe

Start by placing 1/4 of a cup of olive oil in a pot and add the chopped onion. Fry the onion until it’s golden then add the 2 chopped chicken breasts.

Fry until the chicken is cooked, then add the chopped parsley.

Also add in the chopped cilantro, this is optional. Add 1 heaping tablespoon of tomato paste, 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 teaspoon of each spice.

Stir everything and add 3 more cups of boiling water. Once the water starts boiling in the pot, add 1/4 cup of noodles.

When the noodles have cooked, add 1 teaspoon of mint and 1/4 tablespoon citric acid.

Your soup is done and ready to enjoy. You may add more salt, pepper or even lemon, depending on your taste buds. This soup is best enjoyed with a side of bread. If you are interested to make more soups or stews from the Middle East and North Africa, try one of these recipes: Egyptian Tomato and Chickpea Soup {Recipe}, Palestinian Spinach and Lentil Soup {Recipe} or Moroccan Stew {Recipe}. Visit ACraftyArab’s Food Pinterest board for more ideas

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Kay Tarapolsi

Koloud ‘Kay’ Tarapolsi is a Libyan American artist who creates art to promote a positive image of Arab culture. In 2011 she started a 30 Days of Ramadan Crafty Challenge on her blog and has had a wonderful time making over 100 DIY tutorials with her 3 daughters. She founded ACraftyArab.com a number of years ago and enjoys selling her art in various locations around the United States and online. Kay hopes to write an Arab craft book someday, but only after her addiction to Pinterest is under control.

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