Sharba Libiya

01 / ABOUT THE DISH

About the dish

Sharba Libiya is often considered the national dish of Libya, and it is especially popular during Ramadan. Although there are versions made with chicken or fish, the traditional version of this aromatic soup is prepared with lamb and dried mint as the key ingredients. Apart from those, the soup consists of onions, tomatoes, olive oil, tomato paste, chopped parsley, tiny pasta, and chickpeas. It is heavily flavored with turmeric, red paprika, black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaves, and shaiba leaves (also known as dagad phool in Indian cuisine). When served, sharba Libiya is typically paired with lemon wedges and tanoor bread on the side in order to make the dish even more satisfying and nourishing.