Hamud is a delicious lemony vegetable broth or sour sauce flavored with mint and filled with kibbe (haven’t heard of kibbe yet? Look at all the things you can do with it!). It’s a traditional Shabbat dish that we love eating on Friday night over rice. You see different families make it with different twists. Some people use citric acid, or sour salt to make theirs tart. I use fresh lemon juice.
This is really a simple recipe that comes together quickly on the stove. Just chop your celery, carrots, and potatoes, cover with water, and let simmer until the vegetables are soft and the water is fragrant. You can add other veggies too: zucchini, butternut squash, tomatoes, whatever! Add lemon juice, garlic, sugar, and mint, and you’re done! Now all you have to do is add the kibbe and make sure they’re cooked through. For years, my aunt used to deliver her hamud to us on Friday afternoons, since she made the best hamud, but now everyone in the family knows how to make it.
Another great thing about hamud? The broth with the veggies freezes well. Just defrost, simmer on the stove, and add fresh kibbe. Easy dinner!
Hamud
Ingredients:
- 1 quart water
- 1 large potato, peeled and cubed
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 3 carrots, peeled and diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- Juice of 2 lemons
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons dried mint leaves
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 12 kibbes
Directions:
1. Fill a medium pot with water and diced vegetables.
2. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Add the crush garlic and salt to the vegetables.
4. Add lemon and mint leaves.
5. Simmer for another 10 minutes.
6. Add kibbe (I usually put around 12, but depends on how many people you’re serving and how much other food you made. Figure 2-3 per person) and simmer for 10 minutes longer, this time uncovered.
7. Serve hot over rice, as a sauce or even as a soup (yum!)
