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DISH RESEARCH · Soup

Libyan shorba

Also known as: شوربة ليبية

A Libyan lamb soup with tomato, orzo, dried mint and optional chickpeas and whole spices.

About Libyan shorba

Sharba Libiya is a Libyan soup associated with Ramadan tables. Tasnim and Dunia’s lamb-and-mint rendition combines small pieces of meat, tomato and orzo in a richly seasoned broth.

Dried mint gives the soup a pronounced herbal aroma, with parsley, paprika and turmeric adding depth. Chickpeas and a selection of whole spices are optional additions to the lamb and pasta.

The bowl can be accompanied by lemon wedges, tanoor bread and Mbattan potato parcels. The broth surrounds the small pasta shapes and pieces of lamb.

Allergens in this recipe

Contains: Wheat (gluten).

Optional additions: Egg, Milk.

Other allergen details are unconfirmed.

Ingredients vary by restaurant. Confirm your allergens with staff before ordering.

Ingredients in Libyan shorba

Tasnim and Dunia's lamb-and-mint Sharba Libiya.

Ingredient details & uncertainties

Allergen information is incomplete. Unconfirmed details do not establish that an allergen is absent.

  • Lamb: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Main15/32 explicitly diced lamb; not narrowed to an unstated cut. Required main meat differs from optional ground beef in Mbattan.
  • Onion: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Main16/32 and optional Mbattan20/34 same generic onion; main requirement retained.
  • Tomato: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Main17/33 actual fresh chopped tomato, separate from tomato paste.
  • Olive oil: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Main18/32 literal olive oil, distinct optional vegetable frying oil.
  • Tomato paste: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Main19/33.
  • Dried mint: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Main20/35 explicitly dried mint finish, no mint species guessed.
  • Parsley: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Main21/34 and optional Mbattan21/34; shared main herb remains required.
  • Orzo pasta: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Wheat (gluten) source-confirmed. Main22/34 first actual lisan asfour orzo over other soup pasta. Normal wheat pasta confirms Wheat.; Ingredient page link pending verification or catalogue review
  • Chickpeas (optional): Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Main23 explicitly optional first dry chickpea route: soak then cook; canned alternative unselected. Qualitative upstream preparation is supplied inline.
  • Water: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Main24/34; shared with optional Mbattan29/34 stuffing and35 potato-holding water. Required main liquid retained.
  • Turmeric: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Main25/33 literal ground-spice group.
  • Black pepper: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Main25/33 ground-spice group, shared optional Mbattan24/34 black pepper; main remains required.
  • Red paprika: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Main25 literal red paprika; no heat level or smoked form inferred.
  • Mixed spices: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Main25/33 actual mixed spice, broad mixture identity only; no supplied formula, no inference that it is a particular Hararat or UK blend.
  • Salt: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Main26/33 and optional Mbattan25/34; shared main salt required.
  • Cinnamon stick (optional): Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Main27-28 explicitly optional whole-spice block; separate from optional Mbattan ground cinnamon.
  • Cardamom pods (optional): Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Main27/29 optional crushed pods; colour/species not stated.
  • Shaiba (dagad phool) (optional): Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Main27/30 optional shaiba leaves with literal dagad-phool naming. No exact registry identity supplied, no guessed bay leaf or herb replacement.
  • Bay leaves (optional): Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Main27/31 optional whole spices.
  • Lemon wedges (optional): Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Main36 end-service suggestion outside complete soup; optional parent. No extra lemon juice invented in main.
  • Prepared tanoor bread (optional): Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Wheat (gluten) source-confirmed. Main36 offered bread. Broad normal wheat bread identity supports Wheat; precise tanoor manufacturing formula unprovided and no applicable own bread link given.
  • Ground beef for Mbattan (optional): Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Own Mbattan19 first beef over lamb alternative; optional offered side parent. No ground beef added to soup.
  • Potato for Mbattan (optional): Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Own16/35 literal potato slices, including explicit holding water already consolidated with main Water.
  • Vegetable oil for Mbattan (optional): Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Own17/40 frying oil; optional side parent, distinct from required main olive oil.
  • Garlic for Mbattan (optional): Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Own22 listed grated garlic retained even though exact method placement is not stated.
  • Chilli pepper for Mbattan (optional): Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Own23 explicitly optional chilli within already optional side; inner optionality retained.
  • Ground cinnamon for Mbattan (optional): Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Own24 within spice group, distinct from optional main cinnamon stick; side parent optional.
  • Ground ginger for Mbattan (optional): Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Own24 ground-spice stuffing group, not fresh ginger invented.
  • Eggs for Mbattan (optional): Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Egg source-confirmed. Own26/33/34/36/39 stuffing and coating eggs consolidated. Optional side with positive Egg retained.
  • Breadcrumbs for Mbattan (optional): Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Wheat (gluten) source-confirmed. Own27/31/34/36 coating and stuffing breadcrumbs; normal wheat bread confirms Wheat. Exact whole breadcrumb formula unknown.
  • Butter for Mbattan (optional): Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Milk source-confirmed. Own28/34 actual dairy butter, optional side with Milk positive.
  • White flour for Mbattan (optional): Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Own32/36-38 literal white flour for coating. Exact cereal unqualified in this source; left NULL rather than infer a flour type from appearance. Required within side, parent optional.

Origins & food traditions

Countries

  • Libya
  • LibyaCatalogue link pending review

Cuisines & regions

Sources & references
  1. Libyan Soup with Lamb and Mint: Sharba Libiya — Libyan Food
  2. Fried Potato Wedges Stuffed with Minced Meat: Mbatan Batata — Libyan Food