Molokhia — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

A velvety, jade-green soup of finely chopped jute leaves simmered in rich chicken broth and crowned with a sizzling garlic-coriander taqleya. This pharaonic delicacy has a uniquely silky texture that is utterly unlike anything else in world cuisine.

Ingredients

500g fresh molokhia leaves (or 200g frozen, chopped)
1.5L rich chicken stock
1 whole chicken, poached and shredded
10 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons ground coriander
3 tablespoons ghee or butter
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
Salt and black pepper to taste
Juice of 1 lemon
White rice for serving
Egyptian flatbread for serving

Instructions

1 If using fresh molokhia, strip the leaves from the stems, wash thoroughly, and chop very finely with a makhrata (two-handled knife) or food processor until the leaves become almost paste-like.
2 Bring the rich chicken stock to a rolling boil in a large pot. The quality of the stock is the foundation of exceptional molokhia.
3 Add the finely chopped molokhia leaves to the boiling stock, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The soup should have a distinctive silky, slightly viscous texture.
4 Prepare the taqleya (garlic sauce): heat ghee in a small pan until very hot, add the minced garlic and ground coriander, and fry for 30-60 seconds until deeply golden and intensely fragrant. Be careful not to burn it.
5 Pour the sizzling taqleya into the molokhia pot. The dramatic sizzle is part of the ritual. Stir well and add lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
6 Serve the molokhia over white rice with shredded chicken on the side and warm Egyptian flatbread for dipping. The soup should pour like liquid silk.

Did You Know?

Molokhia was reportedly the favorite food of the Fatimid Caliph Al-Hakim, who once banned it to spite the common people. The ban was so unpopular it was quickly reversed, proving that no ruler can stand between Egyptians and their molokhia.