Sofrito is a meat (lamb, beef, chicken) sautéed with potatoes, garlic, turmeric, and cardamom and simmered in a small volume of water or stock with lemon juice, or simmered with all these ingredients without prior sautéing. The second method can also be used in cooking veal, calves' brains or fish.It is mostly common to eat it with chicken although other types of meat are sometimes also used. It originated in Sephardic Jewish communities that were expelled from Spain and was eaten traditionally by them in regions such as the Balkans, the Levant, Turkey, the Maghreb and more.