Anna Hida’s Shorbet Tamatem bil Lesan El Asfoor (Tomato/Beef Soup with Orzo Pasta) Anna Hida is my dearly departed Grandma; this is one of my favorite soups. There is beauty in its simplicity and flavor. One of the best parts,
gnawing on the meat bone and sucking out the marrow!1 pound good quality meat (stewed cut meat will work but, bone in is best)
3 cups water + (as needed)
1 Cardamom Pod or 1/4 tsp ground Cardamom
3 Pieces Mastic or 1 Bay Leaf
Salt & Pepper
1 onion quartered
1 tomato quartered
Beef or Chicken Broth or Soup Bullion (as needed)
4 tbs tomato sauce
1 tsp butter or Ghee
1/4 cup Lesan el Asfoor (Orzo Pasta) or Shariya (vermicelli pasta)
In a heavy pan add meat and water, boil and remove scum as it appears turn down the heat to med-low add mastic,
cardamom salt, pepper, onion and tomato. Simmer till meat is cooked and tender (45-60 mins)
you can add a cup or two of water if needed also for extra flavor you can add a can of broth or bullion cube.
Pour soup through a sieve, discard onion and tomato. Return broth to pot along with meat add tomato sauce
and bring to a boil. Meanwhile in small frying pan melt butter or Ghee with on mastic, add shariah or lesan asfoor
and fry till pink add to soup and boil till pasta is cooked about 8 min. Bon appetite!
*just a fun tidbit, lesan el asfoor, literally translates to "the tongue of the bird. If you look at the picture above, you can imagine this image!
