Making the dumplings for this soup is not the kind of thing we’d embark on when in a hurry or without perfect peace of mind. It is a kind of meditative activity that one can take up on leisurely weekends or when cooking in company. However, there are less timeconsuming alternatives that we urge you to try because this soup is quite spectacular. One option is to forget the dumplings and simply add diced potato, celeriac or both and cook them in the soup. Another is to make small and simple meatballs and poach them in the soup (use the recipe for beef meatballs with broad beans and lemon, page 196, but without the capers). This would be our preferred option for balancing work and flavour. If you still want the semolina casing in the soup, make little round balls and cook them next to the meatballs. The stuffed kubbeh can be cooked, chilled and then reheated in the soup.