Turkish Chickpea & Lamb Soup
This recipe was inspired by a hearty lamb and chickpea soup from Turkey. Finishing it with a dollop of pistachio-mint pesto adds another layer of flavor.
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Recipe Summary
Nutrition Profile:
Ingredients
Directions
Tips
To make ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Thin with additional chicken broth or water, if necessary, when reheating.
Equipment: 4-quart or larger pressure cooker
Ingredient Note: Bulgur is made by parboiling, drying and coarsely grinding or cracking wheat berries. Don't confuse bulgur with cracked wheat, which is just that--cracked wheat. Since the parboiling step is skipped, cracked wheat must be cooked for up to an hour whereas bulgur simply needs a quick soak in hot water for most uses. Look for it in the natural-foods section of large supermarkets, near other grains.
Variation: Conventional-Stove Instructions: In Step 2, replace the pressure cooker with a 4- to 6-quart Dutch oven. After sauteing onion, carrots, garlic, cumin, coriander and cayenne, transfer to a plate. Brown the lamb shank (Step 3) in the same pot. Add onion and carrot mixture back to the pot along with the chickpeas. In Step 4, simmer gently, covered, over low heat, until the lamb shank and chickpeas are very tender, 1 3/4 to 2 1/4 hours.
High-Altitude Tip: For every 1,000 feet above 2,000 feet elevation, increase the cooking time by 5%.
Nutrition Facts
2 fat, 1 1/2 lean protein, 1 1/2 starch, 1 1/2 vegetable