Chorba
Chorba is a spicy meat and vegetable soup, typical of the Maghreb. This is my own personal version.
151 K 4.5/5 (10 reviews)
2 hours 8 min.
Easy
6 people
16 IngredientsLast modified on: May 4th 2012
For 6 people, you will need:
- 1
1 onion - 2
2 cloves garlic - 3
3 carrots - 4
2 turnips - 5
300 g cauliflower - 6
200 g chicken breast - 7
5 tablespoons olive oil - 8
30 g spices for couscous - 9
70 g tomato paste - 10
1 litre 500 ml water - 11
150 g tinned (canned) chickpeas - 12
150 g vermicelli - 13
fresh coriander (cilantro) - 14
1 lemon - 15
salt - 16
pepper - Total weight: 3,470 grams
Change measures:
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 60 min.
Cooking: 1 hour 15 min.
All in all: 2 hours 8 min.
If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time
Step by step recipe
Stage 1 - 10 min.
Stage 3 - 10 min.
Peel and wash 2 turnips, then grate.
Stage 4 - 15 min.
Wash 300 g cauliflower and only keep the small florets.
Stage 5 - 5 min.
Cut 200 g chicken breast into small dice.
Stage 6 - 3 min.
Heat 5 tablespoons olive oil in a large pan and add the chopped onion and garlic clove, salt and pepper.
Cook without colouring.
Cook without colouring.
Stage 7 - 2 min.
Add the carrots, turnip and cauliflower. Mix well.
Stage 8 - 2 min.
Stage 9 - 3 min.
Cook like this (dry) for 2 or 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
Stage 10 - 1 hour
Stage 11 - 3 min.
After this, remove the garlic clove and discard, then add 150 g tinned (canned) chickpeas...
Stage 12 - 5 min.
...and 150 g vermicelli.
Leave to cook for a further 5 minutes (check the cooking time of the pasta on the paquet).
Check seasoning.
Leave to cook for a further 5 minutes (check the cooking time of the pasta on the paquet).
Check seasoning.
Stage 13
Serve piping hot with a generous squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkling of chopped fresh coriander.
Remarks
As with any "regional" recipe, please remember that this is only ONE chorba recipe and not THE chorba recipe.
The proportions are for guidance, so do vary them to your own taste.
The diced chicken can be either raw or cooked (as in the photos) and this is a good way to use up leftovers.
If you can't find a ready-made mix of couscous spices, you can make your own from: cumin, coriander (ground), cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom and turmeric. Paprika, cloves and caraway are also sometimes used.
The proportions are for guidance, so do vary them to your own taste.
The diced chicken can be either raw or cooked (as in the photos) and this is a good way to use up leftovers.
If you can't find a ready-made mix of couscous spices, you can make your own from: cumin, coriander (ground), cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom and turmeric. Paprika, cloves and caraway are also sometimes used.
And to drink?
An Algerian red wine, one from the Medea region, for example, or any other full-bodied red.
Keeping: A few days in the fridge in a covered container.
Source: Home made.
Nutritional information
| Proteins (gr) | Carbohydrates (gr) | Fats (gr) | Energy value (in k-calories) | Energy value (in k-joules) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole recipe | 90 RDI=30 % | 250 RDI=20 % | 100 RDI=10 % | 2,200 RDI=110 % | 9,210 RDI: 110 % |
| Per 100 g | 2 RDI=1 % | 7 RDI=1 % | 2 RDI=0 % | 60 RDI=3 % | 270 RDI: 3 % |
| Per person | 10 RDI=6 % | 40 RDI=4 % | 20 RDI=2 % | 370 RDI=20 % | 1,540 RDI: 20 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 6 people : 8.70 €
- Per person : 1.45 €
Change currency: 
Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
This recipe uses (among others)
Water
Like these other recipes: Quince compote, Shortbread tart with sweet apricots and rosemary, Stewed plums, Sausage and mashed potatoes, Chicken pie, ... See them all 136
Cauliflower
Like these other recipes: Lebanese-style chickpea salad, Country vegetable soup, Spinach and cauliflower with sesame béchamel sauce, Cauliflower coconut curry, Creamy Winter Vegetable Soup, ... See them all 49
Chicken breast
Like these other recipes: Shiro-goma salad, Chicken club sandwich, Greek salad with chicken, Taos hotpot, Paté en croute (terrine in a pie crust), ... See them all 29
Other recipes you may also like
Macarons (the original French macaroons)
This recipe really is "of the moment": the success of these small, highly-coloured cakes, in an infinite variety of flavours, is impressive. It's a recipe which needs some care, in order to produce a result worthy of a professional pastrychef. No problem, I will guide you through the recipe,...October 3rd 20191.60 M 714.6 2 hours 40 min.
Potted meat (rillettes)
Potted meat (rillettes) is cooked long and slow in fat. Rillettes can be of pork or duck. Here is the pork version.October 3rd 2019449 K 24.5 6 hours 50 min.
Valay-Brest
A Valay-Brest is a mini eclair, filled with apple-flavoured confectioner's custard and topped with a rectangle of walnut nougatine.May 14th 201478 K4.1 1 hour 30 min.
Saucipain
Saucipain (or sausage bread) is a kind of savoury baguette. The dough contains small dice of dry-cured sausage or salami and is mixed with red wine instead of water. Served sliced in rounds, it makes a typically French aperitif snack.October 24th 201773 K3.8 4 hours 30 min.
Little lemon biscuits
These small, lemon-flavoured biscuits are very easy to make and are inspired by the Italian "biscotti al limone".September 14th 201483 K5 1 hour 45 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2025-07-20)
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Post a comment or question
Follow this recipe
If you are interested in this recipe, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the recipe is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.