Nava's Moroccan Soup (Harira)

This soup is my sister-in-laws take on Harira, a Moroccan soup basically made with tomatoes and lentils. The soup is mild in seasoning but thick, filling and most of all delicious. Don't let the number of ingredients or cooking time put you off - it is really worth the effort. The soup is simple to make - and is usually eaten to break the fast. There are many variations, some include meat. One note of caution - don't add too many noodles as they tend to expand and overtake the rest of the ingredients. We consider this a meal in bowl and eat it with fresh bread. 

  

[Rating – easy]

[Servings: 8 to 10 hardy bowls of soup]

Preparation time: 

20 minutes to cut and assemble the ingredients

Cooking time: 

Approximately 2 hours from start to eating!

(clockwise - Chopped tomatoes, chopped fresh coriander, diced onions,
diced carrots, black lentils, short flat egg noodles,
diced celery and (ctr) chickpeas

 Ingredients:

¾ cup fresh chickpeas (soaked overnight) or ¾ cup canned chickpeas

¾ cup black lentils (soaked for an hour)

4 tablespoon oil

2 large onions - chopped

2 large tomatoes - peeled and chopped

1 carrot - peeled and diced

4 celery stems - diced

½ cup rice

1 large handful of fresh coriander - chopped

Spices:

1 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons black pepper, 1 tablespoon turmeric, 1 tablespoon soup mix or 2 cubes, 1 tablespoon of sweet paprika; 

Optional spices: ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper and/or ginger and or cinnamon 

1 large tablespoon regular flour (dissolved in ½ cup of cold water)

½ cup angel hair pasta/short egg noodles

Juice of ½ lemon (substitute about ¼ cup of bottled lemon juice)

Preparation:

·       Cook the chickpeas in a separate pot for ½ hour – cool and peel off the skin. (I usually substitute canned chickpeas, you will still need to peel off the skin) (see photo)

Skinless chickpeas (skins on right)

·  Fry the onions in the oil and add the tomatoes, carrot and celery

Onions, tomatoes, carrots and celery frying

 · Add the chickpeas, lentils and 8 cups of water. 

Chickpeas and lentils added

Mix Chickpeas and lentils 

· Cook for 1 hour (add water if needed)  

Short flat egg noodles (add last), chopped fresh coriander, 
rice, spices, lemon (add last)

      · Add the rice, coriander and spices. Mix well and cook for 15 minutes.

Soup with fresh coriander and rice added

Vegetables, lentils, rice, carrots
 and celery  cooking

·       Mix the flour in ½ cup of cold water & add to the soup.
·       Mix well.

flour and water mix

·       Add noodles and juice from ½ lemon or ¼ cup of bottled lemon juice.

·       Close the heat and let rest of 30 minutes.

 Nava's Moroccan Soup (Harira)