We Used to Only be Able to enjoy this Unusual and Flavorful Soup in the Late Fall, when Pomegranates Appeared in the Stores. Today, it Can be Made Almost any Time of Year
The healthy benefits of including pomegranates in your regular diet are only now being discovered and published (Please see my blog on the subject). But this ancient and incredibly wonderful and unusual soup has been popular in Iran and in other parts of the Middle East for longer than anyone can remember.
Ingredients:
- 2 lamb shanks
- 1/3 cup of yellow split peas
- 1 onion, cut into quarters
- 1/4 cup rice
- 1/3 cup chopped scallions
- 1 small to medium beet, peeled and grated
- 1 1/2 cups chopped beet tops
- 1 1/2 cups chopped fresh spinach
- 2/3 cup chopped parsley
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 3 Tablespoons of lime juice
- 1 cup pomegranate juice OR 2 Tablespoons of Grenadine Syrup (in the Middle East, Grenadine is known as "Pomegranate Molasses and figures in many dishes, as such).
- 1 Cup of Beef Stock or 1 Beef Bouillon cube
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon pepper (to taste)
- 1 - 2 teaspoons chopped mint (Dried mint may be substituted, but then use less)
Method:
- Boil about 7 cups of water in a big stock pot, add the lamb shanks, onions and split peas. Return the mixture to a boil, skim the top of the "froth" that tends to form. Cover and simmer for at least 45 minutes.
- Add the rice and the beet and continue cook over a low heat for about 30 minutes.
- Remove the lamb and set aside to cool.
- Add the scallions, parsley, lime juice, sugar, spinach and beet leaves, pomegranate juice.
- Once the meat has cooled so that you can handle it safely, pull the meat from the bones, chop it coarsely and return it to the pot.
- Add the beef stock or bouillon cube (dissolved in a cup of water) to make the stock richer.
- Simmer for another 15 minutes or so.
- Ladle into wide bowls and garnish with the mint, cinnamon and pepper to taste.
Substitute Kufta Meatballs for Lamb Shanks:You can substitute kufta meatballs for the lamb shanks. Form them as explained in linked article and drop them raw into the stock at the beginning. In which case, convert the 7 cups of water to 7 cups of beef stock or 7 bouillon cubes with the appropriate amount of water. The cooking time will also shorten to about 30 minutes for the initial stage).
Getting Juice from Pomegranates:
To efficiently get fresh juice from a pomegranate, take a ripe fruit and firmly roll in on a table and/or squeeze - without being so rough as to tear its flesh - it to release the juice from the tiny seeds. Once the fruit feels very soft and pliable, cut one end of the fruit with a sharp knife and squeeze its juice into a measuring cup. The amount you get from each pomegranate will vary depending upon the size of the fruit and its ripeness. Getting a full cup may take a couple of fruits. Luckily, Pomegranate juice is pretty readily available in supermarkets today - and the Grenadine mentioned above makes an excellent alternative.
