For the meat part:
• Approximately 350g of juicy marbles steak, broken into medium-sized chunks, a bit bigger than bite sized. (I break it apart with my hands, but you can also slice it if you like)
• 6 garlic cloves, crushed & chopper
• 2 medium sized onions, diced
• 1/4 tsp of ground cardamon
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3x bay leaves
• 1/4 tsp of ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp of white or black pepper
• 1 cup of water or vegetable broth
• 1/2 a vegetable bouillon cube
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1 tbsp of olive oil, or other cooking oil
For the yogurt part:
• 4 cups of unsweetened yogurt (I recommend using a yogurt that you love the taste of on it’s own, because the soup will carry the taste of the yogurt. If you use coconut yogurt, it will taste like coconut. I prefer soy yogurt for this.)
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 2 tbsp of corn flour, or 2 tbsp corn starch dissolved in 1/4 cup of water
• Chickpeas & pine nuts:
• 1/2 tsp of smoked paprika
• 1/2 cup of chickpeas, canned or soak and cook them yourself
• A handful of toasted pine nuts, for topping
Rice for serving:
• 1 cup of rice of choice (I like basmati or jasmine)
• 2 cups of water
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1/4 tsp ground cardamon
• 1 tsp of fresh or dried thyme
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil
For the meat:
1. Heat a medium sized pot to low-medium heat. When the pot is hot, add the olive oil. When the olive oil is hot, add the onions, cardamon, cinnamon, bay leaves and a dash of salt. Sauté the onions until they start becoming translucent, but not burned.
2. When the onions are soft and translucent, mix in the garlic. Sauté for another 1 minutes.
3. Next, add meat to the pot and a little more salt. Sauté the meat until each side is nicely browned. Then add the broth/water and the bouillon cube. Bring the broth to a boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for 2 minutes. Then turn off the heat and set aside.
For the chickpeas:
1. Drain the chickpeas, if using canned.
2. Heat a small non-stick pan to medium heat. When the pan is hot, add a dash of olive oil, the chickpeas and smoked paprika. Cook the chickpeas for about 5 minutes, then turn off the heat and set aside.
For the yogurt:
1. In a large pot add the yogurt, garlic powder, and corn flour (or cornstarch dissolved in water).
2. Turn the heat on, and stir constantly to prevent coagulation. Cook the yogurt on low heat until it comes to a simmer. Allow to simmer for another 2 minutes, then turn off the heat
3. Add the yogurt and chickpeas to the meat and broth, and mix until fully combined. Serve immediately! Top with dried mint, pepper, pine nuts, and a side of rice or toasted pita bread. <3
For the rice:
1. Wash the rice in a bowl and then strain it using a mesh strainer. Do this 2 or 3 times.
2. Add the rice and fresh water to a medium pot. Turn the heat on a bring it to a boil. When it starts to boil bring the heat down to a simmer.
3. Once it’s simmering, add some thyme, salt, and cardamon. Follow the instructions on your rice of choice to see how long it should cook for.
4. Once most of the water has been absorbed and the rice is fully cooked, add a dash of olive or coconut oil. When it’s done cooking, turn off the heat and cover the rice with a paper towel or regular towel, and place the lid on top of the towel. The towel helps absorb excess moisture, so that the rice doesn’t get over-cooked while cooling. Serve the rice whenever you’re ready!
NOTE: Depending on the type of yogurt you use, it might be hard to prevent the yogurt from coagulating when heated. But if it does, it’s not a problem. The soup should still taste very yummy.
