Harira (الحريرة (ḥrira))

Name: Harira
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 110 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Morocco
Ingredients: 250 g lamb, in small cubes; 1 onion, 2 celery sticks, chopped; 1 tsp each ginger, turmeric, pepper; 1/2 tsp cinnamon; 500 g tomatoes, grated or puréed; 400 g tin chickpeas, 100 g brown lentils; Large bunch parsley and coriander; 40 g vermicelli, 3 tbsp flour, lemon

Overview

Harira is Morocco's beloved tomato, lentil and chickpea soup, most famously served at sunset to break the fast during Ramadan, often with dates and sweet chebakia pastries. Small pieces of lamb or beef are browned with onion, celery and a spice blend of ginger, turmeric, cinnamon and pepper, then simmered with tomatoes, soaked chickpeas and lentils. Large handfuls of chopped parsley and coriander give it a fresh, green perfume. Near the end, a thin batter of flour and water called tedouira is stirred in to give the soup its silky, slightly thick body, and a little broken vermicelli or rice is added. A squeeze of lemon brightens each bowl. Vegetarian versions simply leave out the meat.

History

Harira is a traditional soup of Morocco, also cooked in Algeria, and is deeply linked to Ramadan, when it is served at sunset to break the fast. Its exact origins are uncertain. Its mix of legumes, tomatoes, herbs and warm spices reflects centuries of Berber, Arab and Andalusian influences on North African cooking. Tomatoes, which came from the Americas, would have been added later in its history. Today each family has its own recipe, and pots of harira are a familiar sight in Moroccan homes and cafés.

Main ingredients

Lamb, chickpeas, lentils, tomatoes, fresh herbs, vermicelli. The soup is built on tomato and lamb broth and is usually served hot. Diet: contains meat; not usually gluten-free.

Explore: Lentil soups · Chickpea soups · Lamb soups · Tomato soups · Noodle soups · More soups from Morocco

Recipe

4Serves

1h 50m20 prep · 90 cook

~350kcal / serving

MediumDifficulty

Method

1
Brown the lamb with onion, celery and spices in a little oil.
2
45 min
Add tomatoes, lentils, half the herbs and 2 l water; simmer for 45 minutes.
3
15 min
Add the chickpeas and simmer for 15 minutes more.
4
10 min
Add vermicelli, then slowly stir in the flour mixed with 200 ml water and cook for 10 minutes until silky.
5
Stir in the remaining herbs and serve with lemon and dates.
✓
Serve. About 1h 50m from start to bowl.

Pictures

Harira: Soupe traditionnelle du Maroc servie surtout pendant le jeûne du mois sacré de Ramadan — Photo: Kattusa24 · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Sources

Harira (Wikipedia)

Description, history and recipe written by SoupWiki and checked against the sources above. Calories and times are rough estimates.