Harira Marakechia

Greetings all my friends out there!

Harira is a North African soup made from the western part of Algeria to Morocco. It is usually eaten to break the fast of Ramadan in these areas.  It is hugely refreshing and nutritious a quick shot of thirst-slaking liquid with hunger-relieving solid nutrition that prepares the body and soul for the Tarawee prayers that follow the meal. 

This is a very filling soup! Usually one bowl of this is enough for me! It is usually served with hard-boiled eggs prinkled with salt and cumin. Dates and other dried fruits like figs are also served along with this hearty soup.  It is served with slices of lemon here in Algeria.

There are as many recipes for Harira as there are cooks. But the basic ingredients are lamb, lentils, chickpeas, prefumed with cinnamon and turmeric then thickened with long thin noodles. Here's a harira from the city of Marakech.


Harira

• 250 g - 1/2 lb lamb, cubed
• 5 ripe tomatoes
• 1 TBS - about 15g turmeric powder
• 1 TBS - about 15gcinnamon
• knob or two of butter
• Handful of chopped cilantro
• Handful of chopped parsely
• 100g - about 1/2 cup (or large handful for me)red or brown lentils
• 100g - about 1/2 cup (or large handful for me) chickpeas, soaked overnight
• 2 large onions diced or 4 small (pearl) onions is my preference
• 50g - 3 TBS r about a small handful for me of vermicelli pasta
• Fresh cilantro to decorate
• Olive oil - salt - black pepper
• Lemon quarters for garnish
• Optional harissa

1. Cut the lamb into small cubes
2. Immerse tomatoes 30 seconds in a bowl of boiling water then refresh in cold water. Peel and cut the tomatoes into 4, deseed and chop coarsely.
3. Put the lamb, turmeric, cinnamon, coriander, parsley and onion in a large saucepan. Cook 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently. Pour the chopped tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes.
4. Rinse lentils in cold water. Add to meat along with the chickpeas, drained and 600 ml - 2.5 cups of water. Season with salt and pepper.
5.  Bring to a boil, cover and simmer over low heat for 1h30.
6.  Cook the noodles in the soup five minutes before the end of cooking.
7. Garnish with fresh coriander, lemon and cinnamon.

Serve this soup warm with fresh bread or crepes.