How to make
Debone the boiled lamb's head. Chop the meat, brain and peeled tongue finely.
Heat the oil in a deep pot, then saute the onions and carrots in it along with a little broth. What I always do is I grate 1 carrot and dice the other.
Add the meat, without the brain, to braise lightly. Pour on the broth and if needed pour in more water and salt (the broth itself is salty).
Leave to come to a boil. Add the rice and boil until it's fully cooked. Remove from the stove, then add in the brain - that way it's in pieces and doesn't turn mushy. Season with ground black pepper.
If adding vermicelli, leave the soup to boil a bit before adding it. Boil about 5 min. Remove from the stove and add the brain. The vermicelli will finish boiling from the residual heat.
Optionally, after the soup comes to a boil, add 1 peeled and finely chopped tomato - it provides a peculiar taste and aroma.
Use whatever spices you like, personally I add spearmint and lovage. When using dried ones, add them shortly before taking the pot off the stove so they can release their aroma. If fresh, add them after taking the pot off the stove so they don't parboil.
I always make a boiled thickening agent for my soups, as follows.
Put the flour and yoghurt in a small casserole. Stir with a whisk, that way the flour doesn't get lumpy. Add the egg and vinegar and stir again.
Put the casserole on the stove and while stirring nonstop with the whisk, slowly pour in some hot broth in a trickle (don't wait for it to cool) using a ladle. Keep at it until you've filled the casserole. Remove from the heat and pour the thickening agent into the main soup while stirring nonstop.
Wait for the thickened soup to cool with the lid off and without keeping the ladle in it.
Serve with finely chopped spearmint and lovage. Sprinkle with chili if desired.
Bon appetit!
