When the divine Queen of Sheba asks the djinni Bartimaeus to take her magician Asmira across the vast desert to spy on the great King Solomon—hallowed be his slippers—she doesn’t think about how her companion will eat. It is always the same with the great and the good, they don’t think about logistics and detail! And who saves the day by cooking up a good restoring and comforting soup? Bartimaeus!
Ingredients
For 6 Babylonian djinn
- Several pieces of poultry
- 1 handful beggarweed
- 2 Samidu
- 1 Sahumu
- 1 Suhutinuu
- 1 handful Sahlu or Engengeru
- Kisiburu leaves
- 1 nib Kamu
- 1 jug of Kisimmu
For 6 modern djinn
- 1 handful red lentils
- 6 chicken pieces on the bone (thighs, wings . . .)
- 1 bunch cilantro
- 1 handful watercress or arugula
- 2 onions
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 t cumin
- 1 pt (4 cups) milk
How to Make It
- Make the most of the scorching midday sun to toast your lentils in a pan over medium heat. A few minutes is enough; you don’t want to burn them.
- Rinse the pieces of chicken by summoning up a spurt of water. While you’re at it, rinse the cilantro and the watercress or arugula as well. Peel the onions (and if you start to cry and blow your nose on the fl ying carpet, do it discreetly, wizards are rather sensitive about this, I don’t know why) and cut each of them into four. Wash and cut the leeks.
- Place a large pot on high heat and add the toasted lentils, pieces of chicken, cilantro, watercress or arugula, onion, leek, crushed garlic, and cumin. Add the milk and enough water to cover the mixture. When bubbles appear, reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes until the chicken meat comes away from the bone.
- Enjoy hot.