Shurbat Hareese

Ingredients

 * 1 cup of hareese (or cracked wheat or barley)
 * ½ chicken
 * 2 onions, finely chopped
 * 2 carrots, grated
 * 2 tomatoes, chopped
 * 2 zucchinis, grated (optional)
 * ¾ cup of cabbage, chopped (optional)
 * ¼ cup of fresh parsley, cilantro, or coriander, chopped (optional)
 * 2 Maggi bouillon cubes (chicken or vegetable flavor)
 * 2 teaspoons of ground cardamom
 * 2 teaspoons of ground cumin
 * 1 tablespoon of zatar flakes (or thyme or oregano flakes)
 * salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

 * 1) Wash and skin the chicken.
 * 2) Cut it in half.
 * 3) In a large pan, boil the hareese and the chicken in plenty of water, until the hareese is beginning to get tender.
 * 4) Remove the chicken from the pan.
 * 5) Add all of the rest of the ingredients.
 * 6) Return to a boil.
 * 7) Remove the chicken meat from its bones and chop it.
 * 8) Add the chicken to the soup.
 * 9) Cover and continue boiling until the hareese is well cooked and the vegetables are tender.
 * 10) Add water as needed to make the soup the thickness that you like.
 * 11) Add salt and black pepper to taste.