Egyptian jute leaf soup — vivid green, slimy and deeply savoury — served over rice or with chicken.
Molokhia is Egypt's most beloved national dish — a soup made from jute leaves (molokhia/Jews' mallow) that creates a distinctive gelatinous, slightly mucilaginous texture. The soup is made by frying garlic in a fragrant ta'aleya (spiced garlic butter) and pouring it into the cooked leaf broth, which releases a burst of garlic and coriander aroma. It is served over rice with roasted chicken on the side.
Serves 4
Bring chicken stock to a boil in a large pot.
Add frozen molokhia leaves to the boiling stock. Stir until leaves are thawed and soup turns vivid green. Simmer 5 minutes.
Heat butter in a small pan until very hot. Add minced garlic and fry until golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add coriander and cumin. Sizzle 30 seconds.
Pour the sizzling garlic butter into the molokhia soup. It will bubble dramatically. Stir through. Don't cook further — this preserves the garlic's perfume.
Season with salt. Serve in bowls over white rice with roasted chicken on the side. Optionally add a splash of vinegar and chilli.
Never boil molokhia vigorously after adding the ta'aleya — it destroys the garlic fragrance.
Frozen molokhia gives a slightly thicker, more gelatinous texture than fresh.
The ta'aleya must be added at the last moment for maximum aromatic impact.
Use rabbit (the original Egyptian version) instead of chicken.
Make without meat for a vegetarian version with vegetable stock.
Refrigerate for 3 days. The soup thickens when cold — thin with stock when reheating.
Molokhia has been eaten in Egypt since Pharaonic times — there are records of jute leaves being consumed along the Nile over 3,000 years ago. A medieval legend says that the Fatimid Caliph al-Hakim briefly banned molokhia, making it even more precious.
Middle Eastern grocery stores sell frozen chopped molokhia. It is also sold dried. Fresh leaves are available in season at specialist shops.
Per serving · 4 servings total
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