Chorba Beida (Chicken and Chickpea Soup)
Across North Africa, chorba simply means soup; a comforting broth built from meat or poultry, legumes and warm spices. This version, chorba beida (literally “white soup” in Arabic), comes from Algiers, Algeria, and stands out for its delicate balance of flavors. A mix of egg yolk and lemon juice stirred in at the end gives the broth its soft, tangy character and pale, creamy color. It’s a simple combination of chicken, onion, chickpeas and a touch of cinnamon, but it tastes like much more than the sum of its parts. Light yet deeply satisfying, it’s the kind of soup that brings comfort any time of year, especially with bread or dates on the side to round out the meal.
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