I’m so excited to introduce you to my friend Beejhy Barhany, the founding owner and executive chef of Tsion Café, an Ethiopian and Israeli restaurant in Harlem’s historic Sugar Hill neighborhood. Born in Ethiopia, raised in Israel, and now calling New York home, Beejhy beautifully weaves all these influences into her food and storytelling. Her cookbook, Gursha, is a true celebration of Ethiopian Jewish cuisine—filled with over a hundred healthy, approachable recipes and stories that bring together the African and Jewish diasporas. The word Gursha means “the act of feeding one another,” which I know will resonate deeply with our community. The recipes are joyful, delicious, and yes—fully kosher! Beejhy generously let us share her recipe for Yemenite Chicken Soup, featuring one of our favorite spices—Hawaij! Trust me, once you get a taste, you’ll want to dive into her whole book. At NY Shuk we hold close the spirit of Gursha —of nourishment, love, and resilience, of caring for one another and finding strength in our shared traditions!
YEMENITE CHICKEN SOUP
By Beejhy Barhany
Serves 8
1 whole chicken (4-5 pounds), cut into 8 - 12 pieces (including backbone), or 4 - 5 pounds drumsticks
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons fine sea salt, plus more to taste
8 small red or white onions, peeled and left whole, or use 4 large onions halved
4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch rounds
1 cup chopped celery
10 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves and stems
3 tablespoons NY Shuk Hawaij
1 tablespoon black pepper, plus more to taste
For serving - Lemon Wedges, Hilbe, Zhoug
In a large bowl, massage the chicken with the lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of salt. Let sit at room temperature for at least 5 minutes and up to 30 minutes. Rinse the chicken well.
Place the chicken in a large stockpot and add cold water to cover by 1 to 2 inches. Cover the pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Uncover and boil, periodically skimming off any foam that rises to the top, for about 30 minutes.
Add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, parsley, 1/4 cup of the cilantro, the hawaij, the remaining 1 tablespoon of salt, and the pepper. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer uncovered until the soup is a deep yellow, 30 to 45 minutes.
Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. If the flavor is too concentrated, add a little water.
Divide among eight bowls, placing a whole small onion (or half large onion) in each bowl. Serve with the lemon wedges, hilbe, and zhoug.
