Easiest Authentic Egyptian Molokhia

3.5 from 2 votes

Easiest Authentic Egyptian Molokhia

Molokhia (Mulukhia) is a tasty Middle Eastern dish that uses jute leaves to make a delicious soup that can also be eaten as a stew. Learn how to make it here.

Course Main Meal

Cuisine Arabian, Middle Eastern

Keyword Molokhia, Mulukhia

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 50 minutes

Total Time 2 hours

Servings people

Calories 180kcal

Author Muna Kenny

Ingredients

For the Molokhia

400 gm frozen Molokhia Jute Leaves (For using fresh Molokhia read the notes below.)
1 kilo lamb shanks or mutton cut into small cubes
3 whole cloves
1 ½ tablespoon black pepper corns
7 whole cardamom pods
3 bay leaves
3 inch cinnamon stick
8 to 9 cups of room temperature water to boil the lamb
2 medium onion chopped (keep 2 tablespoons on the side)
3 tablespoon ghee
3 chicken bouillon cubes
2 ½ cups boiling water for Molokhia
Salt if needed (please read the notes)
2 teaspoons ghee for the garlic
4 tablespoon minced garlic
2 to 3 tablespoon lemon juice

For the rice with vermicelli

1 ½ cup short grain rice
⅓ cup vermicelli
2 teaspoon salt or to taste
3 ¼ cup boiling water
1 tablespoon ghee

Instructions

Cooking the Molokhia

Defrost the Molokhia.
To a large pan add the lamb shanks, cloves, black pepper corns, cardamom, bay leaves, cinnamon, and 8 to 9 cups of water.
Bring to a boil and let cook on medium heat for 1 ½ hour. Remove the shanks and set aside. Discard water and spices.
In a large pan, fry the onion in 3 tablespoons of hot ghee until translucent. Add the shanks and fry until light brown.
Add the thawed Molokhia. Stir until it comes to a boil.
Add bouillon cubes and 2.5 cups boiling water. Stir well. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Taste and add salt if needed.
In small saucepan, heat ghee. Add two tablespoons onion until translucent. Add garlic. Tilt pan to ensure all garlic is covered with ghee.
Cook over low heat until aroma of garlic rises. Do not burn garlic.
Pour the garlic onion mixture on the Molokhia while it’s simmering. Stir for 3 minutes and then add the lemon juice.
After it boils once remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Cooking the vermicelli

Wash the rice until the water runs clear, then soak in water for 20 minutes.
In a pan, add the ghee and when hot add the vermicelli and fry until brown.
Add the drained rice and fry on medium heat for one minute.
Pour the boiling water and salt and when it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to the lowest and cover.
Let the rice cook for 16 minutes, uncover and fluff the rice, then cover again and continue cooking for 10 to 15 minutes or until the water evaporates.

Video

Notes

If you want to use fresh Molokhia, wash the leaves properly several times. Wash the leaves several times, allow the leaves to dry a little then finely cut them, then include them in cooking this recipe.
Most of the time I do not add salt to the Molokhia since the chicken bouillon has enough salt. However, you should taste the Molokhia and if it needs salt please do season it.
Not every recipe includes lemon juice, but it adds amazing flavour to the Molokhia, and it reduces the slimy texture usually associated with Molokhia.
Store the Molokhia for 3 days in the fridge.

Nutrition