Yemenite Chicken Soup

Introduction

Yemenite chicken soup is a golden-hued, aromatic stew, traditionally served with spicy z`houg (green chili paste) and hilbeh (fenugreek foam). If chicken soup is said to be the Jewish penicillin, Yemenite chicken soup can surely raise the dead.

When Yemenite Jews were airlifted en masse to Israel during Operation on Wings of Eagles (more commonly known as Operation Magic Carpet, (1949–1950), they brought this soup with them. In the decades since, it has become an integral part of Israeli cuisine, embraced well beyond the Yemenite community.

Known in Israel as marak teimani, Yemenite chicken soup is more akin to a richly spiced stew than a thin broth. It's typically made with tender chicken or beef, vegetables, and a unique spice mix called hawayej.

This spice mix — a combination of turmeric, cumin, cardamom, and black pepper — is the heart of the soup’s flavor. The result is a comforting, deeply flavoured broth that holds a special place in Yemenite Jewish homes. It's a Shabbat favorite and a symbol of both frugality and festivity.

Preparation method

Hawayej spice mix

Mix well if already ground, or roast and grind the seeds yourself (in a coffee grinder or mortar and pestle) and store in an airtight jar.

Soup

Make the base: In a large soup pot, heat oil and fry the chopped onion until deep golden. Add dried coriander, hawayej, and salt. Stir until fragrant. Add 1.5 litres water.
Prepare the chicken: In a separate pot, cover chicken with water and bring to a boil. Skim off all foam. Transfer cleaned chicken to the main soup pot with tongs. Discard blanching water.
Add vegetables: Add potatoes, the whole onion, and the bunch of coriander. Top with more water to nearly fill the pot. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 45 minutes.
Thicken the broth: Mix the soup powder and flour with a few tablespoons of cold water until smooth. Add to soup 15 minutes before serving and simmer gently to thicken.
Serve: Spoon into bowls and serve hot with generous chicken and potato portions. In many Yemenite homes, a spoonful of grated tomato is stirred into each bowl before eating — a fresh, acidic contrast to the rich broth.

Comments

This soup is warmly spiced, not spicy-hot.
It keeps beautifully. Leftovers deepen in flavor overnight and reheat well.

Recipe from Elli Benaiah: Beyond Babylon: Jewish Food Stories
To visit Elli Benaiah: Beyond Babylon: Jewish Food Stories website click here.

Type: Soup

Kosher choice: Meat

Ingredients

Hawayej spice mix
2 tablespoons ground turmeric
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cardamom (discard the pod shell, seeds only)

Soup
2 medium onions — one chopped, one whole
3–4 tbsp neutral oil
2 tbsp dried ground coriander
3 tbsp hawayej spice mix
½ tsp salt (more to taste)
8 chicken drumsticks
10 chicken thighs
4 chicken wings
7 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 bunch fresh coriander (cilantro), rinsed
2 tbsp chicken soup powder
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
3–3.5 litres water, approximately

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