# Shawrbat



## notyermomma (Feb 11, 2014)

Shawrbat is the generic Arabic word for "soup," but to me it means only one thing. It's my number one comfort food (right after brownies, of course.) Poetically simple with a nice crisp flavor. It's also dirt cheap, extremely healthy, and easy to throw together.

SHAWRBAT `ADAS MAA BANADOURA (LENTIL & TOMATO SOUP) (Serves from 8 to 10)
1 cup lentils, rinsed
7 cups water
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 medium size onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 cups stewed tomatoes
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 cup white rice, uncooked
1/4 cup lemon juice
Place lentils and water in a saucepan and bring to boil. Cover and cook over medium heat for 25 minutes.
In the meantime, in a frying pan, heat oil and sauté onions and garlic until they turn golden brown. Stir in remaining ingredients, except lemon juice, and sauté for another 5 minutes.
Stir the frying pan contents into the lentils and bring to boil. Cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes or until rice and lentils are well-cooked. Stir in lemon juice and serve hot.

I recommend red lentils even though they're a little harder to find in the US. They cook up in half the time and have a much nicer flavor.


----------



## Ezmerelda (Oct 17, 2010)

notyermomma said:


> Shawrbat is the generic Arabic word for "soup," but to me it means only one thing. It's my number one comfort food (right after brownies, of course.) Poetically simple with a nice crisp flavor. It's also dirt cheap, extremely healthy, and easy to throw together.
> ...
> I recommend red lentils even though they're a little harder to find in the US. They cook up in half the time and have a much nicer flavor.


Ooh, this sounds good! I get red lentils through my food co-op and I'm always looking for more ways to prepare them. Thanks for sharing~!


----------



## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

notyermomma said:


> Shawrbat is the generic Arabic word for "soup," but to me it means only one thing. It's my number one comfort food (right after brownies, of course.) Poetically simple with a nice crisp flavor. It's also dirt cheap, extremely healthy, and easy to throw together.
> 
> SHAWRBAT `ADAS MAA BANADOURA (LENTIL & TOMATO SOUP) (Serves from 8 to 10)
> 1 cup lentils, rinsed
> ...


I haven't had this since I moved out on my own. I'll have to ask my mom to make this next time we visit. I miss her traditional cooking. I am so sick of "American" food.


----------



## notyermomma (Feb 11, 2014)

Glad you like it!

As the years go by, I've become a huge lover of peasant food in general. Every cuisine has its own variations. I love fancy food too, but peasant food feeds the soul in a way that gourmet stuff can't always match.

Right now I have a maniacal craving for this recipe, but I'm out of red lentils.  Just as soon as I'm ambulatory I'll cook up a double batch and freeze a few bricks for the next time I get sick.


----------



## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

Thank you for this recipe! All of this is easily from food storage, if we plan and prep for it. The trickiest thing would be the lemon, and I have some of the Real-lemon. It is not the best, but better than nothing! Of course, some people probably have their own lemon trees.

Red lentils are harder to find, but not that hard. I have seen them in several stores. You can get them from some places in 25# bags. I have dry canned some, and have many in quart canning jars with oxygen absorbers.

Do you serve this with bread, perhaps a flat bread such as pita?

Does anyone have any other mid-eastern recipes they can share? The dietary variation will be good to plan for now and the recipes good to experiment with now. There are many possibilities with basics such as wheat into breads, lentils and beans into many dishes, and rice to help make a complete protein.


----------



## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

Thanks for the recipe ...



Grimm said:


> I am so sick of "American" food.


Maybe you need The cuisine of the American South ... The cuisine of the American South has been influenced by the many diverse inhabitants of the region, including Americans of European descent, Native Americans and African Americans. The cuisine of the American South, along with the rest of its culture, is one of the most distinct in all of the country.

Just saying ... deep fried southern chicken... Smack your lips ...


----------

