Shurba (using crushed wheat)

There are several ways of making this yummy porridge that is so enjoyable especially in the month of Ramadhan. This method which uses crushed oats (as opposed to instant oats) requires a tiny bit of extra effort, but it is the one I always prefer because the shurba turns out a lot tastier!!

INGREDIENTS

½ cup of crushed wheat/ngano/bulgur/dalia
1 onion chopped finely
1 tomato chopped
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt (or to taste)
½ tsp. garlic paste
½ tsp. garam masala
meat stock/soup plus water
boiled and shredded meat (mutton/lamb) or you can use pieces with bones if you like.  Use as much or as little as you like.
1 tbsp. oil or butter
chopped coriander and lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS

Clean, wash then soak the crushed wheat for 1 hour.

Heat the oil in a pressure cooker (you can make this in a pan too but it will take much longer!)

Add the onions and stir fry them until they are translucent. Do not brown them. Add the chopped tomato, black pepper, salt, garlic paste and garam masala. Stir together for a minute then add the soup (plus some water if the soup is too little). Then add the drained crushed wheat.

TIP: Crushed wheat normally absorbs a lot of water and expands, so add about 3-4 cups of soup/water to begin with and you might need to add more later.

Bring it to a boil and then cover the pressure cooker and keep the heat on very low. Let it boil in the pressure cooker for 15 minutes.

Once the time is up, release the cooker's pressure...or let it cool off on its own, then open and check. The shurba should be ready, you can adjust salt and water to your preference. Now add the boiled shredded meat, chopped coriander and a dash of lemon juice!

TIP: If you find that the water is too much for your taste, just simmer it for a few minutes and it will right itself. Shurba made with this recipe is so flexible and you can hardly ever go wrong!

TIP: When stirring shurba at any time during the cooking process, avoid letting the wooden spoon touch the bottom of the pan as this encourages the shurba to stick to the bottom of your pan for some reason. :)

Your filling and healthy shurba porridge is ready...enjoy!

* This shurba keeps very well in the fridge or freezer. So I normally make a big batch and divide it into smaller tins then freeze, and thaw out/reheat whenever you want shurba! So don't worry about leftovers, they keep beautifully! :)