Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon oil
- 1 medium onion chopped finely
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 small piece ginger minced
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- 2 small tomatoes
- 1 (160 g) medium-sized potatoes chopped
- 1 tin (160 g) chickpeas, drained (1 tin drained = 240g/1 cup)
- 2.5 teaspoon cumin powder
- 3 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- 1.5 teaspoon salt
- 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Firstly, chop the potatoes and soak them in cold water till needed. This step is optional but it removes some of the starch from the potatoes, meaning the shorba won't become thick and starchy after sitting for a while.
- In a pot, heat the oil and add the chopped onions, minced garlic, minced ginger and cumin seeds. Heat this on low for about 15 minutes, till the edges are browning and the onions soften and reduce. Stir occasionally.
- Add the tomatoes, all the spices and ¾ cup water. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low, stirring occasionally.
- Once most of the water has dried out and the mixture is beginning to come together, uncover and turn the heat to high. Sauté, stir and mash this mixture whilst on high till all the water has dried out. Our aim is to mash most of the onions and tomatoes completely. If after drying out all the water you feel they haven't mashed sufficiently, add ½ cup of water and continue to sauté and stir till he water dries off once again.
- Once the masala is completely dry from water and is 90% or more mashed, add 4 cups of water, the chickpeas and the potatoes.
- Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes have cooked.
- Garnish with coriander before serving (do as I say, not as I do, as I clearly forgot).
Notes
If you're short of time or don't want to make the masala as described, here is a shortcut (the results won't be as tasty as the recipe though). In step 2, instead of adding ¾ cup of water, add ¼, beat the tomatoes with your spoon and allow this to cook for 2-3 minutes. Then, transfer this mixture to your food processor and blend till 90% smooth. Transfer this back to your pot and continue with the recipe from step 4.
📩 Want me to email this recipe to you?
Enter your email & I'll send it right over.
Plus, you'll get bonus Pakistani food-goodness from Fatima Cooks, like new recipe alerts, exclusive email-only recipes + more!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from me. Your details are secure. Opt-out any time.
Did you make this recipe?I'd love to hear about it! Please leave a rating and comment on the blog, or share a photo on Instagram!