1
Make the broth
Poach chicken with onion, bay leaves, cardamom, salt, and pepper until cooked. Remove the chicken and strain the broth.
Broth
40:00
Egypt | Soup
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
6
Level
medium
Recipe overview
What to know before you cook
Molokhia is all about texture and aroma. The jute leaves make the soup silky, then hot ghee, garlic, and coriander hit the pot and announce dinner.
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, vermicelli rice, roasted chicken, lemon, and bread
Regional lane
Egypt national table. A verified Egypt dish in the AfroKitchen archive.
Chef watch-outs
- Stopping the base before the pepper, onion, or spice edge has mellowed.
- Thinning the pot before the body of the soup or stew has developed.
- Rushing the base before the raw edge has cooked out.
How you know it is ready
- The sauce should coat the spoon and taste rounded, not watery or raw.
- The aroma should smell rounded rather than raw or sharp.
- Oil, sauce, broth, or steam should look settled and deliberate.
Recipe photos
See the dish before you cook
Each recipe supports one main image and up to four extra prep, serving, or step photos when they are available.
Chef board
Build the table around Molokhia
White rice, vermicelli rice, roasted chicken, lemon, and bread
Best route from here
Egypt national table
Collections to keep cooking
How to cook it
Step-by-step method
Keep the rhythm calm, watch the texture, and adjust seasoning at the end.
5 steps
60 min total
medium
2
Cook the molokhia
Bring broth to a simmer, add chopped molokhia, and cook gently until the soup is silky. Do not boil hard.
Molokhia
10:00
3
Make the tash-a
Heat ghee, add garlic until golden, then stir in coriander for a few seconds until fragrant.
Garlic moves from golden to burnt quickly, so stay close.
Tash-a
01:00
4
Finish the pot
Pour the sizzling garlic-coriander mixture into the molokhia and stir.
5
Serve
Serve with rice, chicken, lemon wedges, and bread.
Every household has small variations. Start here, then adjust seasoning, heat, and serving sides to your kitchen.