Nightingales Tongue Soup

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Nightingale’s Tongue Soup – Lisan al Asfor

Nightingales Tongue Soup – a firm favourite in Egypt

Nightingales Tongue soup is known as Lisan al Asfor in Egypt and it’s a firm family favourite in nearly all Egyptian homes. I can truly say that I don’t know anyone who doesn’t love this soup.

Not a single song bird is harmed in the making of this soup!

Don’t worry regardless of its name, Nightingales Tongue Soup isn’t a soup that involves the demise of dozens of songbirds!  It is, in fact, made with a pasta which is the shape and size of rice. It’s also apparently the size and shape of nightingales’ tongues. This pasta is known as orzo in the UK.

If chicken’s on the menu, you can bet that Nightingales Tongue Soup will be too

In Egypt, Lisan al Asfor, Nightingales Tongue Soup is nearly always served when chicken is on the menu.  Chicken is never simply served roasted in Egypt.  Instead, they first boil the chicken to cook it. They then fry it in butter until the skin is wonderfully crispy and a glorious golden colour.  In the process a really, good stock is made. This wonderful stock is then used for making this delicious soup.

For this recipe I have included shredded chicken and herbs which makes it extra special and makes it a much more substantial dish which could be served as a lunch or supper dish in its own right. But in all honesty, it’s usually served without these extras and is still delicious.

It’s also just as good made with vegetable stock. And if you also omit the butter, its great for our vegan friends.

*To make this soup without adding chicken, just fry off the rice pasta, then add the stock, it’s that simple.

Ingredients

For the chicken

• 2 chicken pieces – still on the bone and with skin
• a little vegetable oil
• 2 garlic cloves – grated
• 1 spring onion finely sliced (optional)
• 2 carrots – grated (optional)
• 3 stock cubes – grated
• 750ml boiling water
• 1 bay leaf

For the base soup

• 1/2 cup rice pasta (orzo)
• 3 cups of stock from the chicken
• zest and juice of a lemon
• 3 tbsp butter
• a small bunch of flat leaf parsley – finely chopped
• lemon wedges , for garnishing

Method

To cook the chicken

In a large pan, heat about 3 tbsp. of vegetable oil, over a medium heat.

Brown the chicken

When the oil is sizzling, add in the chicken and fry until the chicken begins to brown.

Add the veggies and let them sweat

Add the carrots and spring onion (if using), and garlic, and cover the pan with its lid to allow the vegetables to sweat down until they are just tender.  This will only take about 5 minutes.

Simmer for 20 minutes

Add in the stock cubes, hot water and bay leaf and bring to a simmer.  Cook this for about 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.

Using a slotted spoon remove the chicken from the pan and let it cool a little.

To make your Nightingales Tongue soup

In a large pan, heat about 3 tbsps. of vegetable oil. 

Fry the orzo til golden brown

When the oil is sizzling add the rice pasta (orzo) and fry it until it becomes dark golden brown – stirring frequently. 

*Frying the rice pasta seals it – if it’s not fried enough the starch from the pasta will leach out and your beautiful soup will turn to glue.

Add the stock and simmer for about 15 minutes

Then add 4 mugs of stock. Simmer the soup for 15 more minutes.

Season, and remove the bay leaf.

Shred the chicken and add to your Nightingales Tongue Soup

Take the cooled chicken, remove the skin, and take the meat off the bone.  Shred the meat into small, bite size pieces then add it back to the pot along with any juices from the chicken plate. 

Add the trimmings and season

Add in the butter, the chopped herbs, lemon zest and lemon juice and adjust the seasoning.

Serve with wedges of lemon.

How to serve Nightingales Tongue Soup

In Egypt, soup is served almost as a side dish. It isn’t served as a starter or as a separate course to a meal. So, small bowls will be laid out along side all the other meat, rice and vegetables.

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