Molokhia (Egyptian Jute Leaf Soup with Garlic and Coriander)
ملوخیہ (مصر کا پٹ سن کے پتوں کا سوپ، لہسن اور دھنیے کے ساتھ)
Molokhia is the soup Egyptians miss most when they're away from home. It's made from the leaves of the jute plant (*Corchorus*), chopped very fine and simmered briefly in a rich , which gives it a silky, slightly viscous texture, a bit like okra. The magic happens at the end: garlic and ground coriander are fried in ghee until golden and poured in with a dramatic sizzle (the *ta'leya*, Egypt's version of a ). It's served over rice with chicken or rabbit. Frozen chopped molokhia from Middle Eastern shops makes it easy anywhere.
- ⏱ Total: 1 hr 15 min
- Prep: 15 min
- Cook: 1 hr
- Medium
- Serves 4
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Simmer the chicken with the onion, cardamom, bay leaves, salt and water for 40 minutes, skimming the foam, to make a rich stock. Lift out the chicken; you'll need about 5 cups of stock.
Bring the stock back to a boil. Add the frozen molokhia straight in, stirring until it melts. Simmer gently for 5 minutes only; don't cover it or boil it hard, or it separates and sinks.
For the ta'leya, heat the ghee in a small pan and fry the garlic for 1–2 minutes until golden. Add the coriander and stir for 10 seconds.
Pour the sizzling ta'leya into the molokhia (Egyptians traditionally gasp as they do!), stir once and turn off the heat.
Brown the reserved chicken in a hot pan or oven if you like. Serve the molokhia in bowls with rice, the chicken and lemon wedges.
Kitchen notes
Frozen minced molokhia is sold in Arab and Middle Eastern grocers worldwide, and it's what most Egyptian homes use today.
Dried molokhia leaves can also be used: crumble them and add to the boiling stock, simmering for 10 minutes.
If you can't find molokhia, finely chopped spinach with a few slices of okra gives a similar (though not identical) texture.
Egypt’s green soup
Molokhia (also mulukhiyah) has been eaten in Egypt for centuries, and some say since the time of the pharaohs. It’s cooked in homes every week and is one of the dishes most associated with family meals. Lebanese and Syrian cooks make a different version with whole leaves and chicken; this smooth, finely minced style is distinctly Egyptian.
The ta’leya
The defining moment is the ta’leya: garlic fried in ghee until golden, with ground coriander added at the last second, then poured hot into the soup. It’s exactly the same idea as a South Asian , and it transforms the dish. Egyptian folklore says the cook should gasp as it goes in, for luck.
Don’t overcook
Molokhia needs only a few minutes in the stock. Long boiling or covering the pot makes the leaves separate and sink to the bottom instead of staying suspended in a smooth, green soup.
Serving
Serve with plain rice or vermicelli rice, the chicken from the stock, lemon wedges and bread. For more Egyptian food, try koshari, ful medames and hawawshi.
Questions people ask
Why is molokhia slimy?
Jute leaves naturally release a silky, okra-like texture when cooked. Egyptians love it; brief cooking keeps it smooth rather than stringy.
Can I make it vegetarian?
Yes. Use a well-seasoned vegetable stock; the garlic and coriander ta'leya gives plenty of flavour.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 420
- Protein
- 34 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Carbs
- 32 g
