Shared by Nina Dahan
Shared by Nina Dahan
Hamod (Lebanese Lemon and Potato Soup)
Yield: 4 to 6 servingsTime: 2 h
Hamod (Lebanese Lemon and Potato Soup)
Yield: 4 to 6 servingsTime: 2 hFamily Journey
BeirutLondon
New York City
In Nina Dahan's family, there's no Shabbat without hamod, a lemony potato soup made with celery and garlic that’s served over rice. In her family, it's also served alongside bazela (peas cooked with allspice and onions).
Read more about her family in "In This Lebanese Family, It’s Not Shabbat Without Hamod" and try her recipes for onion mahshi (stuffed onions with beef and rice), and zucchini mahshi (stuffed zucchini with beef and rice).
Ingredients
For the kibbeh (stuffed meatballs)
- ¾ pound ground beef
- 1 cup rice flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 4 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
For the soup
- 3 celery stalks, sliced thinly, leaves chopped and reserved separately
- 3 Yukon gold potatoes, cut into ½ inch cubes5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- ½ cup lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 5 cups water, vegetable broth or chicken broth
- ⅛ teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 to 3 tablespoons dried mint (optional)
Preparation
Step 1
Make the kibbeh: Place ½ pound of ground beef, rice flour and 1 teaspoon salt into a food processor. Process for about 4 minutes or until combined well and smooth. Gradually add up to 4 tablespoons of water and blend after each addition of a water, until a smooth dough-like consistency is formed. Transfer out of the processor and set aside.
Step 2
Make the kibbeh stuffing: Mix ¼ pound beef, ½ teaspoon salt, allspice and parsley until combined. Take ½ teaspoon of the mixture, roll it into a small meatball and place it onto a sheet tray. Continue with the remaining mixture until you've formed about 35 meatballs. Freeze these small meatballs for about 20 minutes.
Step 3
Shape the kibbeh: Transfer the small frozen meatballs from the freezer. Take about ½ tablespoon of the rice flour and meat mixture and roll it into a ball between your palms and flatten into a flat disk about 2 inches wide. Place one small frozen meatball in the center of the disk and fold the outer layer over itself, pinching the seams and rolling between your palm to form a sealed larger kibbeh ball. Repeat with the remaining mixture shaping 35 kibbeh balls.
Step 4
Place the olive oil in a wide pan over medium high heat. Place as many kibbeh balls that can fit into the pot and sear until golden brown on all sides, about 3 to 5 minutes each side. Repeat in batches until all the kibbeh balls are seared.
Step 5
Make the soup: Place 1 tablespoon of oil into a pot over medium heat and saute the garlic until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the celery, potatoes, lemon juice, salt, water, sugar and dried mint (if using). Mix and bring the mixture to a boil.
Step 6
Once the soup is boiling, gently place the kibbeh balls into the soup. Cook on a simmer until the potatoes are fork tender and the kibbeh balls are cooking through, about 35 to 40 minutes.
Step 7
Serve hot and garnish with fresh mint and radish.
