About this Dish
Egypt's most beloved home-cooked dish — a silky green soup made from the leaves of the jute plant, cooked with garlic and coriander in a rich chicken or rabbit broth. The texture is distinctive and mucilaginous — either loved or hated on first encounter. Served over rice or with flatbread. Cleopatra reportedly ate molokhia regularly.
IngredientsServes 4
🐔Whole chicken, 1.5kg cut into pieces
🌿Frozen chopped molokhia leaves, 400g (or 600g fresh leaves, finely chopped)
🧄Garlic, 8 large cloves minced
🌱Ground coriander, 2 teaspoons
🧅Large onion, 1 halved
🫒Ghee or butter, 3 tablespoons
🍋White wine vinegar or lemon juice, 2 tablespoons
🧂Salt and black pepper, to taste
🍚White rice, 2 cups cooked, to serve
🍚Cooked white rice, to serve
Method
1
Place the chicken pieces in a large pot with the halved onion, cover generously with water, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Skim off any foam that rises, then reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes until the chicken is tender and you have a rich golden broth.2
Remove the chicken pieces and strain the broth, discarding the onion. You need about 1 litre of broth for the soup — reserve the rest for another use. Shred the chicken meat from the bones and set aside.3
In a small frying pan, melt the ghee over medium heat and add the minced garlic. Fry gently for about 2 minutes until golden and fragrant, then add the ground coriander and stir for 30 seconds more — this aromatic mixture is called 'taqliya' and is the soul of the dish.4
Bring the strained broth to a gentle simmer in a large pot, then add the frozen or fresh molokhia leaves directly into the hot broth. Stir well and cook for 3–5 minutes only — do not boil vigorously or cook too long, as this dulls the colour and flavour.5
Pour the hot garlic and coriander mixture straight into the molokhia soup and stir immediately — you will hear a satisfying sizzle and the kitchen will smell incredible. Add the lemon juice or vinegar and taste for seasoning.6
Serve the molokhia soup ladled generously over a bowl of white rice, with the shredded chicken on the side or placed on top. Some families like to serve it alongside toasted flatbread and a small dish of extra vinegar with diced onion for drizzling over.User Reviews
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