This is a soup called lisaan 3asfour, which means bird's tongue, but it's just named that for the shape of the orzo pasta we use in it. It's kind of an Egyptian take on chicken soup and definitely what I like to eat when I'm sick. It reminds me of tantes.

Sorry if the directions are sort of inexact -- it's pretty hard to pin down measurements from any of the women I ask for recipes.


1 3-4 pound whole chicken
3-4 pods cardamom (habahan)
a few pieces of mistica (which you can find at good middle eastern groceries)
salt & pepper to taste

about 1 tbsp butter
1/2 tbsp flour
1 cup orzo pasta

Place the chicken in a 5-quart pot and add enough water to just cover it. Add the cardamom, salt, pepper, and 3 pieces of mistica. Bring this to a boil, then keep it at a low boil over medium heat until the stock tastes like stock and isn't watery. (Taste it a few times along the way to see). When it's done, take the chicken out and set it aside, then strain the stock to remove any remaining bits. Keep the stock hot.

In a smaller pot, melt the butter and then add the flour to it, stirring briskly. When the mixture forms a sort of paste, add the pasta and another piece of mistica and keep stirring until the whole thing is golden, but not too brown anywhere. Then add the hot stock and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. keep boiling, covered, until the pasta is tender, about 10-15 minutes.

You can add the chicken meat back into the soup if you like, but we usually use it for something else or eat it for dinner with rice. Enjoy!