Although with the title of this post you can already imagine what it is, below we tell you what is shurbat, the Egyptian soup that is so popular among the inhabitants of the country, so different from others such as mulukhia… and among many of its visitors, especially vegans. A delicious dish that you will have the opportunity to try on your trip, if you really want to taste the local cuisine. And that, by the way, has nothing to do with sharbat, which is a cold, sweet, syrupy drink that is drunk as a soft drink in other Muslim countries.
Shurbat: what’s in it
Shurbat, also called shorbat or shorbat adidas, is a hot soup that is very popular among the local population. The star ingredient, the one that cannot be missed, is red lentils, although other varieties with different color shades can be used, depending on the case.
In fact, it is no coincidence that this soup contains lentils: the ancient Egyptians consider them part of their history and identity, as it is known that they were already cultivated and consumed in the time of the pharaohs, who knew the beneficial properties of this energetic food.
But although this is the main ingredient, what gives the dish its true flavor are the other ingredients that make up the broth. And as usual in Egyptian cuisine, it has a wide variety of spices and condiments. Ground cumin, turmeric, bay leaf, coriander and pepper are some examples.
To begin with, the garlic and onion are fried in olive oil, which will help these vegetables to provide juiciness and flavor right from the start. In addition, other vegetables, such as tomatoes and carrots, are boiled in water, which can be in small pieces or crushed. And for many, the final and distinctive touch is given by a squeezed lemon, in one of the final steps of the elaboration.
However, it should be noted that the consistency of the shurbat depends on the cookSome make it more liquid and loose while others prefer it thicker, some prepare it creamy and with lentils as the only ‘bits’, while others enjoy the taste of each of the chopped vegetables.
When and where to eat shurbat
Shurbat is a soup that you will find on the menus of many restaurants. restaurants restaurants, especially those offering traditional and popular cuisine. Regarding the time of the year to drink it, everything will depend on the tastes of each person, as well as the ideal temperature at which to enjoy it: in the coldest periods of the year, it will be appreciated very hot, while in the warm season it is enjoyed almost at room temperature.
Some people also eat it during Ramadan, not so much as a dish for iftar (the breaking of the fast) but for suhur (the breaking of the fast). suhur i.e., the meal eaten before dawn, that is, just before starting the daytime fast.
As we said at the beginning, this dish is also highly valued by vegans because, as you can understand, it does not use meat or other foods of animal origin, making it ideal for them. And of course, for all those who are looking to eat healthy.
Finally, although shurbat is an Egyptian soup, it can also be found in the cuisines of neighboring countries, which share a common gastronomic tradition with Egypt. This is the case of Lebanon, Syria or Turkey, to mention a few. However, they may have other names and other flavor nuances due to the use of different ingredients or their own processing methods.
