Eshkeneh, Persian Onion Soup With Fenugreek

With the cool and crisp days of Autumn weather just around the corner, اشکنه eshkeneh, this creamy and delicious onion and fenugreek (shanbalileh) soup, seems to be the best choice of food to serve your family and friends. Eshkeneh is a traditional soup made with gold brown caramelized onions, fresh aromatic fenugreek and the last-minute addition of eggs. The result is a fantastic soup that warms your soul as well as your body. Fenugreek has high nutritional and medicinal values and is used in Persian cooking, for instance in our very popular Ghormeh Sabzi dish. Eshkeneh was the dish that my mother would make whenever she felt homesick while visiting us and the rich aroma and the familiar flavor would ease her longings. However, for me, the slightly bitter taste of fenugreek took some getting used to but it eventually grew on me and now I just love the taste and I grow it in my garden whenever I get my hands on some fenugreek seeds. I have heard that in some parts of Iran eshkeneh is made without fenugreek and another variation is to add small potato cubes to the soup.

Ingredients:
Serves 4

1 cup fresh fenugreek leaves, chopped
2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
2 eggs, use more if you prefer
1-2 tablespoons flour, *optional
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
Salt and pepper to taste
Water
Oil

Method:

1. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a pot, add the onions and saute over medium heat until golden brown.
2. Add turmeric, stir and cook for a minute or two. Stir in the flour and mix well with onion and turmeric which will help thicken the soup. If you prefer a thinner soup, omit this part.
3. Then add the chopped fenugreek and saute for 5 minutes, stir well to mix all the ingredients.
4. Add 4 cups of water, salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook for 30-40 minutes on medium-low heat.
5. Break the eggs into a small bowl and beat well with a fork or whisk until well blended, add to the soup and mix well. Add additional water if necessary and adjust the seasoning before serving.

Serve hot with warm bread and yogurt.

Enjoy!