Mom’s Authentic Lebanese Molokhia

A serving of Molokhia over Lebanese rice.

5 from 11 votes

Mom’s Authentic Lebanese Molokhia

Authentic Lebanese molokhia made with whole jute leaves, lemon, garlic, and cilantro. Comforting, flavorful, and freezer-friendly.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 5

Total Time1 20

Course: Main

Cuisine: Lebanese, Middle Eastern

Diet: Gluten Free

Freezer friendly: 3 Months

Shelf life: 3 Days

Servings:

Author: Samira

Ingredients

For the molokhia

6 oz dried Molokhia (dried jute leaves)
2 heads garlic about 1 cup peeled cloves
2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon crushed coriander seeds
½ cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 red chili pepper
2 lemons juiced

For the chicken

3 lb whole chicken
1 tablespoon salt
1 lemon for rubbing the chicken
2 lemon peels small
1 onion medium
1 stalk celery
1 carrot medium
1 cinnamon stick medium
2 bay leaves small
4 cardamom pods
5 cloves
1 inch fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
8 cups water enough to fully cover the chicken during cooking.

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Rub chicken with salt and lemon and place in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil for about 4 to 5 minutes, then drain and discard the water to ensure a clean stock.
Return the chicken to the pot with fresh boiling water, onion, carrot, celery, ginger, lemon peels, and all the spices.
Bring to a boil and simmer covered for approximately 45 minutes to an hour until the chicken is tender.
Remove the chicken, shred the meat, and strain the broth into a bowl.
For dried leaves, sift through to remove stems. Soak in warm water with a little lemon juice for about 20 minutes.
Rinse and squeeze the leaves repeatedly until the water runs clear.
Pat the leaves dry or briefly warm them in the oven or microwave for a couple of minutes (in batches) to remove excess moisture.
Sauté coriander seeds in a little olive oil, then sauté the jute leaves in batches (2-3 minutes). Set aside.
In a food processor, process the garlic, fresh cilantro, and chili peppers into a coarse paste.
Heat olive oil in a wide pot over medium heat. Add most of the garlic-coriander paste and cook until fragrant (2-3 minutes).
Add the sautéed jute leaves, stirring to coat them thoroughly in the paste.
Pour in the hot chicken stock and the lemon juice, and stir in the shredded chicken. Simmer gently for 20 to 25 minutes.
Stir in the remaining spice paste during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Adjust salt and lemon to taste.
Serve hot over vermicelli rice with pita bread and raw onions.

Video

Notes

Storage: Allow to cool completely and then transfer any leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to three months, then thaw overnight in the fridge. When reheating, use the microwave in 30-second bursts until warm, or heat it in a skillet with a splash of water until piping hot.

Check the blog post for Molokhia recipe tips.

Nutrition