Hejazi Red Cracked-Wheat Soup (Shorbat al-Habb)
Shorbat al-Habb is one of the venerable dishes of the Hejazi table in Mecca, Medina, and Jeddah, and its presence on the Ramadan spread is a firmly rooted tradition.
It relies on cracked wheat slow-cooked with a spice bundle that gives it depth, and its color is red from the tomato rather than creamy, so it is a warm, satisfying soup that brings the family together.
Gather the coriander, cumin, black pepper, cloves, cinnamon, loomi, cardamom, bay leaf, and shibah, and tie them in a clean cotton cloth, because the bundle perfumes the soup without leaving the whole spices in it.
Heat the oil in a pot and add the soaked cracked wheat with the spice bundle, cover with water, then cook over low heat for a full hour until the wheat begins to soften, because cracked wheat needs more time than the meat.
Add the meat cubes and continue cooking for two hours over low heat until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 71 Celsius and becomes tender enough to fall apart, adding hot water whenever the liquid runs low.
Add the crushed tomatoes, the chicken stock cube, and the salt, and cook for a final 45 minutes until the flavors come together and the soup turns red and cohesive rather than creamy, because the tomato color is what distinguishes this Hejazi soup.
Lift out the spice bundle and serve the soup hot, because it is usually served warm and straight to the table at the Ramadan iftar.
The glycemic index (GI) measures how quickly a food raises blood sugar, while the glycemic load (GL) measures how much a full serving raises it. Together they give the complete picture.
A low value (≤55) means a gradual rise in blood sugar — the most suitable range for diabetes and insulin resistance.
Glycemic load reflects the impact of the full serving. To lower it: take half a serving, or pair the recipe with a source of protein and fiber.
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet per FDA food-label reference values — your daily needs may be higher or lower. Values are derived from the recipe's ingredients via the USDA database.
The most common problems when preparing Hejazi Red Cracked-Wheat Soup, and how to fix them:
Continue cooking over low heat and add hot water, as cracked wheat needs at least an hour before the meat to soften.
Thin it gradually with hot stock or boiling water until the desired consistency, because the wheat absorbs liquid as it cools.
Leave the spice bundle in the pot longer, because removing it early reduces how much it perfumes the liquid.
Keeps in an airtight container for up to 3 days, and is reheated with a little added water because the wheat absorbs liquid when chilled.
Freezes for up to a month in an airtight container, thawed in the refrigerator then reheated over low heat with stirring.
| Original Ingredient | Tested Substitute | Ratio | Flavor Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| cracked wheat | fine jareesh | 270 g | An available Gulf alternative that gives a close texture when cracked wheat is short. |
| lamb | cubed beef | 250 g | An available halal alternative that needs a similar cooking time until tender. |
| chicken stock cube | homemade chicken stock | 250 ml | A cleaner alternative without additives; adjust the salt accordingly. |
| loomi | fresh lemon zest | 3 g | An alternative that gives the same aromatic acidity when loomi is unavailable. |
| Ingredient | 2 servings | 4 servings (base) | 8 servings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cracked wheat | 135 g | 270 g | 540 g |
| Lamb | 125 g | 250 g | 500 g |
| Crushed tomatoes | 180 g | 360 g | 720 g |
| Salt | 2 g | 4 g | 8 g |
Soak the cracked wheat for only a quarter of an hour before cooking, then cook it slowly for an hour before adding the meat so it softens completely and does not stay hard in the middle of the soup.
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