Fah-Fah — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

A warming broth of goat meat with vegetables, spiced with cumin and pepper. Djibouti's beloved morning soup.

Ingredients

500g bone-in lamb or goat meat, cut into large chunks
2 large onions, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2cm piece fresh ginger, grated
2 large tomatoes, chopped
2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 hot green chilli, slit lengthwise
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 litres water
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh cilantro and lime wedges for serving
Warm flatbread for serving

Instructions

1 Heat the vegetable oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the lamb or goat pieces and sear for six minutes, turning to brown on all sides. The browning creates a rich, caramelized flavour base for the soup. Remove the meat and set aside.
2 In the same pot, add the diced onions and cook for five minutes until golden. Add the minced garlic and grated ginger, stirring for one minute until very fragrant. Add the ground cumin, coriander, turmeric, and cardamom, toasting the spices in the hot oil for thirty seconds.
3 Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for four minutes until they break down into a thick paste. Return the seared meat to the pot along with the slit green chilli. Pour in the two litres of water and bring to a vigorous boil.
4 Reduce heat to a gentle simmer, partially cover the pot, and cook for one hour until the meat is tender and beginning to fall off the bone. Skim any foam or impurities that rise to the surface during the first fifteen minutes of simmering.
5 Add the cubed potatoes and sliced carrots to the pot. Continue simmering for twenty-five minutes until the vegetables are completely tender and the broth has developed a rich, golden colour from the turmeric and the long-simmered meat.
6 Taste the broth and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. The soup should be hearty and warming with layers of spice, the potatoes should be soft enough to partially thicken the broth naturally. Ladle into deep bowls and garnish with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime. Serve with warm flatbread for dipping.