Traditional Moroccan Harira (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
01 -
240 g of ground lamb or beef, or both.
02 -
A half-teaspoon of raz el hanout (used for the meatballs).
03 -
Diced medium onions, two of them.
04 -
Four celery stalks with their leaves.
05 -
A handful of finely chopped parsley.
06 -
A handful of chopped cilantro.
07 -
One teaspoon of turmeric powder.
08 -
One teaspoon of ground ginger.
09 -
One teaspoon of cinnamon powder.
10 -
One teaspoon of mild paprika.
11 -
Half a teaspoon of raz el hanout.
12 -
Half a teaspoon of black pepper.
13 -
One tablespoon of tomato paste.
14 -
450 g of crushed tomatoes.
15 -
75 g of dried lentils.
16 -
240 g of cooked chickpeas.
17 -
75 g of thin vermicelli pasta.
18 -
Two tablespoons of flour.
19 -
1.5 liters of filtered water.
20 -
Salt to taste.
21 -
Lemon wedges for serving.
# Let's Cook:
01 -
Mix the ground meat with raz el hanout and a pinch of salt. Shape the mixture into meatballs about the size of a large hazelnut. Brown the meatballs in a pot with some olive oil, then set them aside.
02 -
In the same oil left from browning the meatballs, cook the onions until they turn golden. Add the chopped celery and sauté until soft.
03 -
Stir in the powdered spices (turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, paprika, raz el hanout, and black pepper), letting them toast gently for about a minute. Toss in the lentils and stir everything together.
04 -
Pour in the crushed tomatoes and the tomato paste. Add a little salt, throw in the chickpeas and the meatballs you set aside, and let it all simmer gently on medium heat, partly covered, for around 30 minutes.
05 -
Stir in the vermicelli. Mix the flour with some water to make a slurry and slowly add it in to thicken the soup. Cook for another 10 minutes.
# Tips:
01 -
This is a traditional soup served during Ramadan.
02 -
It tastes even better when you let it rest before serving.