Egyptian molokhiya

This warming Egyptian dish by food writer Soha Darwish stars the leafy vegetable molokhiya. “Molokhiya or ‘mulukhiya’ is the heart and soul of Egyptian cuisine, loved by children and grown-ups alike,” says Soha. “In fact, it’s the official weaning meal in Egypt for toddlers, served with rice and tiny shreds of chicken, as it is easy to swallow and highly nutritious. So, what is molokhiya? It is a type of jute plant, and the dish is made from the leaves. The leaves are rich in folate, beta-carotene, iron, calcium, vitamin C and more. Molokhiya is widely available frozen in Middle Eastern supermarkets. I buy it in 400g packs.”

“Molokhiya is a soupy dish which originated in Ancient Egypt as the plant grew on the banks of the Nile. It then spread to the neighbouring countries and became popular in various guises throughout the medieval Arab world. I will be sharing the Egyptian version here, in which leaves are finely chopped – unlike the Levant version where they use them whole.”

“Traditionally, molokhiya is cooked with chicken – or at least chicken stock (but you can also use beef stock) – and is served with white rice,” says Soha. “The idea is to boil the leaves in broth to create a thick almost slimy consistency. It only takes few minutes for the leaves to cook. You announce the end of your molokhiya cooking session by throwing in sizzling fried garlic and coriander – called ‘tasha’ – while gasping loudly, then the molokhiya erupts like a volcano. The loud gasp here is a tradition handed down from generation to generation and supposedly ensures a successful outcome. I sometimes do gasp, just for fun – especially in front of my little one.”

Try Soha’s recipe for negresco, Egyptian chicken pasta bake, next.