Shorba is an easy rice dish — somewhere between a soup and a stew — that originated in ancient Iran (Persia). The literal translation is “salty stew,” which was popularized across the Middle East and North Africa during the Ottoman Empire.
As the Jewish community moved around, and merchants travelled the Silk Road, so did shorba. The dish evolved as it made its way across various cultures, influenced by cuisines including Indian, North African and Balkan.
In my family, shorba made its way from Bombay, India, to London. Thanks to the best chef I know, Aunty Ruth, who kindly shared her recipe, it now happily resides at the Nissim residence. It’s a staple on cold, dreary days — there are, sadly, many in London! — and is the first thing to be made, along with a vat of chicken soup, when one of the children sneezes for the first time each fall.
As we head into winter, shorba is one of those dishes I have on repeat to bring quick and easy comfort. It takes no time to make, and because the whole point of the dish is to cook the rice with too much liquid so that it becomes inflated and breaks down, it is hard to get it wrong. Depending on my mood, I either make it vegetarian or with shredded chicken, which is cooked for so long that it is falling off the bone and mixed into the shorba. I make it on the stovetop when I need to be quick, but it is also frequently made in the slow cooker, where the end result resembles our beautiful Shabbat dish, hamim.
Serve immediately, in a bowl, and eat under a blanket in front of a great movie.
Note: This keeps well in the fridge in an air-tight container for a few days, but you may wish to add a little more liquid when you come to reheat, as the rice will continue to soak up any liquid.
Shorba
Shorba is an easy rice dish — somewhere between a soup and a stew — that originated in ancient Iran (Persia). This keeps well in the fridge in an air-tight container for a few days.
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 tsp salt, divided, or to taste
- 1 cup of washed rice
- 1 tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 250g passata
- 2 cups water (extra if needed)
- 1–2 chicken drumsticks, cooked (optional)
Instructions
- Take a wide-bottomed saucepan, and heat the olive oil on a medium flame.
- Add the onions to the oil along with ½ tsp of the salt and mix well. Turn the heat down to a low flame and leave them to cook slowly, stirring occasionally.
- Add the rice and spices and stir everything together. Ensure that the rice is completely coated.
- If you are using the chicken, shred it off the bone and cut it small before adding it to the mixture.
- Add the passata and mix well.
- Slowly add the water, bit by bit, while stirring the rice. You do not need to stir continuously in the same way as cooking a risotto, but stir every 5 minutes or so to ensure it is not sticking to the bottom. As you do this, the chicken will break down further into the mixture.
- Keep adding the water and eventually the rice will begin to break down and start resembling a risotto texture. The shorba should be unctuous, but if it is looking dry or stodgy, add a little more water. If you do, it may require more seasoning to taste. Serve immediately.
Notes
This keeps well in the fridge in an air-tight container for a few days, but you may wish to add a little more liquid when you reheat, as the rice will continue to soak up any liquid.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Entree
- Method: One-pot
- Cuisine: Mizrahi
Looks delicious. How can it be ancient with a tomato product in it? Tomatoes are a food from the Western Hemisphere.
I might have missed it but where are there tomatoes in this dish?
I had to look it up myself, but passata is a tomato product. sieved tomato puree with nothing else added. Hope that helps. I wondered the same query.
What can you substitute for passata?
Please give some idea how long to cook the rice. Thanks. I’m looking forward to what appears to be “Jewish congee”!
What is Passata?
What is passata??
What would you suggest to use as a substitute for passata?
Can tomato paste be substituted for Passata? If not, instructions on how to make passata would be helpful.