Hajar's Own Harira -- the National Soup of Morocco

Name: Hajar's Own Harira -- the National Soup of Morocco
Prep time: 4 h
Cook time: 4 h
Total time: 4 h
Yield: 10
Cuisine: Global
Ingredients: 1 teaspoons finely ground caraway seed; 237 milliliters dried garbanzo beans; 237 milliliters whole dried fava beans; 118 milliliters flour; 59 milliliters fresh coriander leaves, chopped; 118 milliliters fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped; 2 teaspoons ground ginger; 1 teaspoons finely ground nutmeg; 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper; 2 teaspoons ground turmeric; 227 grams lamb, cut in small pieces; 1 lemon; 10 servings lemon wedge, for serving; 237 milliliters lentils, soaked for 1 hour 1 in cold water and drained; 710 milliliters onions, minced; 473 milliliters vermicelli, broken into 1/4-inch pieces; 2 teaspoons cooking salt; 2 teaspoons sweet smoked paprika (the best most vibrant you can find); 177 milliliters tomato paste; 4 tomatoes; 2 Tbsps vegetable oil; 2 liters water

Hajar's Own Harira -- the National Soup of Morocco might be just the main course you are searching for. This recipe makes 10 servings with 490 calories, 18g of protein, and 10g of fat each. This recipe covers 27% of your daily requirements of vitamins and minerals. It is a good option if you're following a dairy free diet. A mixture of paprika, garbanzo beans, lemon, and a handful of other ingredients are all it takes to make this recipe so yummy. To use up the ground turmeric you could follow this main course with the Cherry-Filled Lemon Cake as a dessert. It can be enjoyed any time, but it is especially good for Autumn.

Instructions

Rinse and pick over fava beans if you can't get these then use dried broad/lima/butter beans and chickpeas. Soak overnight in water to cover. Quick soak method; place beans in large soup pot and add 2 litres hot water. Bring water to a rolling boil for 5 minutes. Turn off heat and soak beans for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Squeeze each fava bean and chickpea between your thumb and first two fingers to remove skins. Set aside.In large soup pot over medium heat, cook the onions and meat (chicken can be used as well as beef or no meat at all though NEVER pork) stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and translucent.

Ingredients you will need

Butter Beans

Fava Beans

Chickpeas

Meat

Onion

Beans

Water

Beef

Pork

Soup

Equipment you will use

Pot

Add turmeric, ginger, paprika and 2 litres water. Cover and bring to rolling boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, add fava beans, chickpeas and cook, covered, until beans are tender. 1 to 1 1/2 hours depending on your beans.Finely chop together tomatoes, parsley and cilantro.

Ingredients you will need

Fava Beans

Chickpeas

Cilantro

Tomato

Turmeric

Paprika

Parsley

Ginger

Beans

Water

Add this mixture along with the tomato paste, the lentils, pepper, juice of the lemon and drop in 1/2 of the squeezed lemon and salt to taste. Cover and cook until lentils are tender 20 to 25 minutes.Bring back to the boil and make a fairly thick slurry (flour and water) with the 1/2 cup of flour.

Ingredients you will need

Tomato Paste

Lentils

Pepper

All Purpose Flour

Juice

Lemon

Water

Salt

Add this to the boiling soup stirring very briskly to avoid lumps. Boil one minute stirring constantly.

Ingredients you will need

Soup

Add nutmeg and caraway. Bring the soup to medium heat, you just want a nice slow bubbling.

Ingredients you will need

Caraway Seeds

Nutmeg

Soup

Add pasta (orzo or small soup pasta can be used as well though I always prefer vermicelli) and cook until soft. Taste and add salt to taste and adjust pepper. When soup is heated through, ladle harira into individual soup bowls.

Ingredients you will need

Pepper

Pasta

Orzo

Salt

Soup

Equipment you will use

Bowl

Ladle

Serve immediately with lemon wedges, Moroccan flat bread ("My Rough Khoubz works well) or crusty french baguette. This soup should be velvety, not overly thick.Prep time does not include soaking the beans.NB: Harira is eaten all year, not only at Ramadan. In Morocco the nutmeg is ground to a powder which is darker and very pungent. If you cannot find or do your nutmeg this way, then I recommend that you purchase the freshest nutmeg that you can find.

Ingredients you will need

Baguette