Levantine cuisine · Soups & Stews

Maqadem Ghanam

Festive soup of long-simmered lamb shanks with chickpeas, plenty of garlic and lemon.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 4 lamb shanks (about 400 g each)
• 200 g chickpeas (dried)
• 2 onions
• 1 bulb of garlic
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 4 cloves (spice)
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 lemons
• 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Soak the chickpeas overnight and drain; rinse the lamb shanks thoroughly under cold water and pat dry.
2. Put the shanks on with 2.5 l cold water, bring slowly to a simmer and carefully skim off the rising foam for 15 min. over low heat until the broth is clear.
3. Add the halved onions, cinnamon sticks, cloves and bay leaves and let simmer covered for 2 hrs. over very low heat until the meat falls off the bone.
4. Add the chickpeas after the first hour so they become soft in the same time; only season with salt and pepper now.
5. Remove the shanks, take the meat off the bone and return it to the strained broth; fry the finely chopped garlic in the olive oil for 1 min. and stir it in.
6. Season generously with the juice of one lemon, sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve in deep bowls with the remaining lemon wedges.