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Ferakh bel Hummus

This was a family favorite that my mother often made.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 4-6

Ingredients

1 onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 teaspoon turmeric
A 3 1/4–4-pound chicken
1 1/4 cups chickpeas, soaked overnight
Juice of 1 lemon, or more to taste
2–4 cloves garlic, crushed
Black pepper or a pinch of cayenne or ground chili pepper
Salt

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Fry the onion in the oil in a large saucepan until golden, then stir in the turmeric.

    Step 2

    Put in the chicken and turn it until it is yellow all over. Add 2 1/2 cups water, the drained chickpeas, lemon juice, garlic, and pepper. Bring to the boil and simmer, covered, for 1 hour or longer, until the chicken is very tender, the chickpeas are soft, yellow, and lemony, and the liquid is reduced. Turn the chicken occasionally and add aadd water so that there is plenty of liquid sauce. Add salt when the chickpeas have softened.

    Step 3

    Adjust the seasoning and cut up chicken.

Cover of Claudia Roden's The New Book of Middle Easter Food, featuring a blue filigree bowl filled with Meyer lemons and sprigs of mint.
Reprinted with permission from The New Book of Middle Eastern Food, copyright © 2000 by Claudia Roden, published by Knopf. Buy the full book on Amazon or Bookshop.
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