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Shorbet lesan asfour (orzo pasta soup)

A pot and bowl of orzo soup

Shorbet lesan asfour (orzo pasta soup)

Name: Shorbet lesan asfour (orzo pasta soup)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 1 tbsp ghee or butter; 180g orzo; 1 mastic crystal (optional – available online or in Middle Eastern or Mediterranean shops); 2 litres good-quality chicken stock; 2 cardamom pods; 2 bay leaves

Soha Darwish

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Serves 8

Easy

Prep: 5 mins

Cook: 10 mins

A star rating of 5 out of 5.2 ratingsRate

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Soup is a staple at Iftar, gently reintroducing food after fasting. Shorbet lesan asfour, or bird’s tongue soup, is made with orzo and broth

Low calorie

Low fat

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Soha Darwish says, "Soup is a must on any Iftar table, which makes a lot of sense. It is a gentle start to eating again after long hours of fasting. I chose the most nostalgic and easiest soup to make as it takes just a few minutes. There are a few variations for shorbet lesan asfour, which translates in Arabic as bird’s tongue soup. It can be alarming if you don’t know that ‘lesan asfour’ is what we call orzo pasta, as it has the shape of a bird’s tongue.Traditionally we use chicken broth, and sometimes we add small meatballs, or you can have it with a vegetable broth instead and meat-free."

Ingredients

Nutrition

Units:

MetricUS

1 tbsp ghee or butter
180g orzo
1 mastic crystal

(optional – available online or in Middle Eastern or Mediterranean shops)
2 litres good-quality chicken stock
2 cardamom pods
2 bay leaves

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Nutrition: per serving

kcal131

low
fat3g

low
saturates1g
carbs17g
sugars0.5g
fibre2g
protein9g
salt1.4g

Method

step 1

Heat the ghee in a medium saucepan over a medium heat. Add the orzo and stir to coat in the ghee, then stir in the mastic crystal, if using. Toast for 2-3 mins, stirring regularly, until the orzo is golden.
step 2

Pour in the chicken stock, then add the cardamom pods and bay leaves and bring to a boil. Simmer for 6-8 mins until the orzo is just tender. Remove the cardamom pods and bay leaves, then season to taste. Serve hot.

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A star rating of 5 out of 5.2 ratings

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