Sometimes there are glimpses of Jewish life in Los Angeles that remind you of what it must have felt like to live in the shtetl. (Of course, in Morocco the Jewish quarter was a Mella and in Baghdad it was the Dar al Yahud.)

Sometimes lives intertwine in serendipitous ways, over generations. 

This story starts when two Baghdadi Jews, Daisy and Sassoon Ezra, marry in Calcutta in 1956. In 1958, they move to Los Angeles with their eldest daughter, Lulu. They are the founders of Kahal Joseph Congregation, an Iraqi synagogue, where Sass served as the chazan for many, many years. Fun fact: he was Rachel’s husband Neil’s math teacher at Hillel Hebrew Academy, where he also taught my younger brothers Danny and Nathan. 

Over the years, Kahal has served as a home away from home for me and Rachel. We and our friends have prayed there, cooked there, socialized there. Our sons grew up playing there and celebrated their bar mitzvahs there. 

Daisy and Sass were the proud parents of five amazing daughters. I have been in a book club with their daughter Florette, who taught Rachel’s son Sam and all four of my children. Marlene taught my son Ariel and my youngest daughter Elisheva. 

So Rachel and I have had an extra sense of pride watching Marlene’s daughter Lindsey embark on her incredibly successful journey in the food world. In fact, we featured Lindsey’s schnitzel recipe in these pages in March, 2022. (The ultimate reward was receiving a photograph of Sass proudly reading our article in the Jewish Journal!)

This week Rachel and I are thrilled to share a recipe from her new cookbook—”Something Delicious: 100 Recipes for Everyday Cooking” by Lindsey Baruch. This bright, beautiful book features 100 flavorful, low-fuss recipes for various occasions, from family dinners to weeknight meals, with highlights including popular chicken dishes, comforting soups and festive appetizers. 

Shorba, the tomato, chicken and rice soup recipe we highlight here, is a beloved classic from the Babylonian kitchen. My grandmother Nana Aziza made it often when I was growing up. And my mother Nana Sue still makes it for her younger siblings and all her grandchildren. 

It is the ultimate comfort food — perfect for a pre-fast meal, a break-fast meal or any chilly fall evening! 

—Sharon

GRANDMA DAISY’S TOMATO & CHICKEN RICE SOUP

SERVES 4 TO 6

1 HOUR 30 MINUTES

Whenever I would walk into my grandparents’ house growing up, I would get a whiff of this delicious chicken rice soup. My Grandma Daisy would always make a version of this Baghdadi Jewish, Indian Iraqi soup, and it continues to be a part of our dinner table to this day. It’s called shorba, and like many tomato chicken rice soups, it begins with a slow-braised chicken in tomatoes and rice, with the addition of ginger and turmeric. The chicken fat gives it a robust flavor, and the tender, fall-off- the- bone meat makes it a meal you will want to have over and over again.

My mom would always eat this with the hottest green chiles she could find, oftentimes panting and tearing up from the heat, as she continued to bite into each pepper one shout at a time. While I never understood why she would put herself through this chile torture, I was inspired to create this serrano scallion topper that is spicy (not as spicy as she’d like), tangy and definitely brightens up this meal.

Early fall, when it gets chilly and you can find some end-of- season super-duper lovely ripe tomatoes, is the best time to enjoy this.

TOMATO & CHICKEN RICE SOUP

1⁄2 chicken (11⁄2 to 2 pounds), cut into pieces

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 Tbsp neutral oil

1 yellow onion, finely chopped

1⁄2 tsp paprika

1⁄8 tsp ground turmeric

3 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1⁄4 cup tomato paste

5 medium Roma tomatoes (1 1⁄2 pounds), cut into 1⁄2-inch cubes (see note)

1 cup long-grain white rice, such as jasmine or basmati, rinsed

6 cups chicken broth, or 4 cups broth plus 2 cups water, plus more as needed

SCALLION SERRANO TOPPING

1⁄4 cup thinly sliced scallions

1 serrano chile, seeded and finely chopped

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, plus more for serving

1. Make your Tomato & Chicken Rice Soup: Pat your chicken dry and season on all sides with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven or wide pot, heat the neutral oil over high heat. Add your chicken pieces to the pan, skin-side down, and cook and brown the skin, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate — we will finish cooking the chicken later.

2. Reduce the heat to medium-low, leaving any excess oil and the chicken fat in the pan. Add your onion, paprika, turmeric and salt and pepper and give the onions a nice toss. Add your garlic and tomato paste and stir until the paste darkens a tad, 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Increase the heat to medium-high. Add your tomatoes, stirring and mashing them to release their juices to form a nice combined sauce with the rest of the pot. This should take 7 to 10 minutes, and it’s okay if the tomatoes are a little chunky here, too, but you definitely want to release their juices and form a sauce.

4. Add the rinsed rice and toss to combine. Nestle in the chicken and pour in your broth. Bring this mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook until your chicken is completely cooked, 30 to 40 minutes. At this point, your mixture should not be too liquidy, and not too thick either. You can adjust with more water or broth as needed here to reach your desired texture.

5. Make your Scallion Serrano Topping: While the chicken cooks, in a small bowl, toss together the scallions, serrano, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside until ready to serve.

6. Carefully transfer your chicken to a bowl and cool until you can handle. Tear the meat off with your hands, or a fork, discarding the bones and skin. I usually don’t go too shredded, but just tear it into bite-size pieces.

7. Return the chicken to the soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and toss your chicken in the soup. Adjust with more water or broth as preferred.

8. To serve: Ladle into in bowls, topping with your Scallion Serrano Topping layered on top. Finish with freshly ground black pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Note: If it’s not tomato season, put your tomatoes in a bowl with a sprinkle of salt. This brings out their moisture and flavor. Drain and discard the tomato water when ready to use. Proceed with using your tomatoes. If it IS tomato season, you can also use other tomato varieties, such as heirloom, which will be really nice and juicy for this soup!

Sharon Gomperts and Rachel Emquies Sheff have been friends since high school. The Sephardic Spice Girls project has grown from their collaboration on events for the Sephardic Educational Center in Jerusalem. Follow them
on Instagram @sephardicspicegirls and on Facebook at Sephardic Spice SEC Food. Website sephardicspicegirls.com/full-recipes.