Name: Molokhia
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Egypt, North Africa
Ingredients: 500 g molokhia leaves, fresh or frozen, finely chopped; 1 litre chicken broth, rich and homemade; 8 cloves garlic, minced; 2 tbsp ground coriander; 3 tbsp ghee; 1 whole chicken, poached (from making the broth)

Molokhia

A vibrant green soup made from finely chopped jute leaves simmered in chicken broth, finished with a sizzling garlic and coriander dressing. Egypt's most iconic home-cooked meal.

Country

Egypt

Region

North Africa

Time

60 min

Serves

Level

medium

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Molokhia has been eaten in Egypt for thousands of years, with roots in the pharaonic era. The name comes from the Arabic word for kings â€” legend says it was once reserved for royalty. The signature moment is the tash-a â€” a sizzle of garlic and ground coriander fried in ghee and stirred into the pot, releasing an unmistakable aroma that signals dinner is ready in Egyptian households.

What the dish tastes like

A vibrant green soup made from finely chopped jute leaves simmered in chicken broth, finished with a sizzling garlic and coriander dressing. Egypt's most iconic home-cooked meal.

When to cook it

Best for Everyday family dinner, with a medium cooking level and about 60 minutes total.

What to serve alongside it

White rice and roasted chicken

Make the broth

Poach a whole chicken in water with an onion, bay leaves, and cardamom pods for about 40 minutes until cooked through. Remove the chicken and strain the broth. Shred the chicken meat and set aside.

A rich, flavourful broth is the foundation â€” do not skip the aromatics.

Poach chicken 40:00

Cook the molokhia

Bring the chicken broth to a boil. Add the finely chopped molokhia leaves and stir well. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The soup should be thick and slightly viscous.

Never cover the pot while cooking molokhia â€” it can turn the leaves brown.

Simmer molokhia 10:00

Prepare the tash-a

In a small pan, heat the ghee until very hot. Add the garlic and fry until golden, about 30 seconds. Add the ground coriander and stir for 10 seconds until fragrant â€” it should sizzle vigorously.

Watch carefully â€” the garlic burns quickly. It should be golden, not brown.

Finish the soup

Pour the sizzling tash-a directly into the molokhia pot. Stir well â€” it will bubble dramatically. This is the moment that defines Egyptian molokhia.

The dramatic sizzle when the garlic hits the soup is the hallmark of properly made molokhia.

Serve

Ladle the molokhia over white rice in deep plates. Serve the shredded chicken alongside, with lemon wedges and bread.

Some Egyptians eat molokhia with vermicelli rice and others with plain white rice â€” both are traditional.

Molokhia

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Step-by-step instructions

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