Harira is Morocco’s national soup and the first nourishment Moroccans take when they break their fast during Ramadan. Throughout that month, people replace the dates with sh’bakkiyah, a crisp fried pastry that is dipped in syrup. Serve with dates or sh’bakkiyah: both offer an intriguing sweet contrast to the slightly tart soup.
SERVES: 6
INGREDIENTS:
- ⅓ cup (75 g) dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in plenty of water with ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 7 ounces (200 g) lean lamb, cut into small cubes
- 1 medium onion (5 ounces/150 g), halved lengthwise and cut into thin wedges
- A few sprigs flat-leaf parsley, most of the stems discarded, finely chopped
- ¾ teaspoon finely ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- Pinch of saffron threads
- One 14-ounce (400 g) can chopped tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) unsalted butter
- 2 ounces (50 g) broken vermicelli
- A few sprigs cilantro, most of the stems discarded, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- Juice of 1 lemon, or more to taste
- 4 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
- Sea salt
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Spread them onto a clean cloth. Cover them with another cloth and, with a rolling pin, crush them lightly to split them in half and loosen their skins. Peel and discard the skins.
- Put the peeled split chickpeas into a large pot. Add the lamb, onion, parsley, pepper, ginger, saffron, tomatoes and their juice, and 2 quarts (2 liters) water. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Add the butter, then cover the pot and let bubble for 1 hour.
- Add the vermicelli, cilantro, tomato paste, and lemon juice and reduce the heat to low. Mix the flour with ⅔ cup (160 ml) water and slowly pour into the soup, stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming. The soup should thicken to a velvety consistency at the end of cooking. Add salt to taste and simmer for a couple more minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve very hot.
