I’m a big fan of Moroccan cuisine, and make no exception for Harira—the traditional tomato and lentil soup of Morocco. Harira is quite a rich soup but can also be eaten as a starter. During Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting, Harira is served to break the daily fast.

There are endless variations to this recipe and each family has its own version. The sky is the limit when it comes to this soul-warming soup. Replace the chicken with lamb, beef, or even ground beef, to create a whole new dimension. Harira also lends itself very well to adaption by a creative vegetarian or vegan cook.

Don’t let the long list of ingredients I used intimidate you—you can always simplify it, right?—and don’t be afraid to give this hearty, warming, and filling soup your very own spin.

 

Harira:

2 free-range chicken legs
2 stalks of celery
1/2 cup chick peas (soaked overnight)
1/2 cup red lentils (soaked overnight)
1 chicken bouillon cube
thumb size piece fresh ginger
1 medium carrot
1 large onion
2 garlic cloves
1 big tomato
1/2 small pumpkin
1 large potato
2 tsp harissa (more if you like it spicy)
1 tbsp ras el hanout
1/8 tsp cinnamon
large pinch saffron
2/3 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp sweet paprika powder
small can tomato paste
1 can diced tomatoes
2 tbsp lemon juice
8 cups water
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp oil

 

Herbed oil:

2 oz celery leaves
1 oz flat-leaf parsley
1 small garlic clove
4 tbsp oil

 

Directions:

I soaked my lentils and chickpeas overnight. If you’re not adding pumpkin and potato, feel free to use more.

I coarsely cut up the carrot, onion, and celery stalks and I peeled the garlic.

 
Use your food processor or blender because we really want to turn this into a vegetable puree.
 

Combine the vegetable, add a deseeded tomato, 1 tbsp oil, grated ginger and lemon juice.

Add the saffron threads.

The bouillon cube, ras el hanout, cumin, pepper, harissa, cinnamon and blitz.

Granted, it doesn’t look all too good like this.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper, heat the butter in a large soup pot and quickly brown the chicken on both sides.

Add the vegetable puree and cook this, along with the chicken, for 5 to 7 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Add the tomato paste and cook for a minute to sweeten it up.

Pour in the diced tomatoes and water and sprinkle in the salt, turmeric and paprika powder.

 
Bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 60 minutes.
 

Gives you plenty time for this beauty.

Peel (half) the pumpkin, remove the seeds and cube it.

Rinse and drain the soaked chickpeas and red lentils one last time.

After 60 minutes you remove the chicken to a plate and let it cool off a little.

Add the pumpkin, chickpeas, and lentils to the soup.

Peel, dice and cube the large potato and add it to the soup as well.

 
Let the soup simmer for another 30 minutes. Until the vegetables are tender and the soup has thickened.
 

Remove as much chicken meat from the bones as you can.

In a food processor or blender you combine the parsley and celery leaves with the garlic and oil and you blitz.

 
Traditionally you also add cilantro to Harira. Because I think cilantro is from the devil, I don’t. Can’t stand the scent and flavor.
 

After 30 minutes, you stir the soup well, it should be getting nice and thick and you add the chicken.

 
Give the soup 15 more minutes over low heat. Check the seasoning, you’ll probably have to add more salt and maybe some extra harissa.
 

Garnish each bowl with the herbed oil and serve with Smida, Moroccan semolina flatbread. Gorgeous, isn’t it?

Harira With Chicken
Ingredients	2 free-range chicken legs 2 stalks of celery 1/2 cup chick peas (soaked overnight) 1/2 cup red lentils (soaked overnight) 1 chicken bouillon cube thumb size piece fresh ginger 1 medium carrot 1 large onion 2 garlic cloves 1 big tomato 1/2 small pumpkin 1 large potato 2 tsp harissa (recipe can be found at blog) 1 tbsp ras el hanout (recipe can be found at blog) 1/8 tsp cinnamon large pinch saffron 2/3 tsp ground cumin 1/2 tsp black pepper 1/2 tsp turmeric 1 tsp sweet paprika powder small can tomato paste 1 can diced tomatoes 2 tbsp lemon juice 8 cups water 2 tbsp butter 1 tbsp oil Herbed oil: 2 oz celery leaves 1 oz flat-leaf parsley 1 small garlic clove 4 tbsp oil
Directions	I soaked my lentils and chickpeas overnight. If you’re not adding pumpkin and potato, feel free to use more. Coarsely cut up the carrot, stalks of celery, onion and peel the garlic. Transfer it to your food processor or blender and add a deseeded tomato, 1 tbsp oil, grated ginger and lemon juice. Add the saffron threads, the bouillon cube, ras el hanout, cumin, pepper, harissa, cinnamon and blitz until you have a puree. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, heat the butter in a large soup pot and quickly brown the chicken on both sides. Add the vegetable puree and cook this, along with the chicken, for 5 to 7 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add the tomato paste and cook for a minute to sweeten it up and pour in the diced tomatoes and water and sprinkle in the salt, turmeric and paprika powder. Bring to a boil and simmer for 60 minutes. Peel (half) the pumpkin, remove the seeds and cube it. Peel and cube a large potato. Rinse and drain the soaked chickpeas and red lentils one last time. After 60 minutes you transfer the chicken to a plate, and add the pumpkin and potato cubes along with the lentils and chickpeas. Let the soup simmer for another 30 minutes. Until the vegetables are tender and the soup has thickened. Remove as much chicken meat from the bones as you can. In a food processor or blender you combine the parsley and celery leaves with the garlic and oil and you blitz. After 30 minutes, you stir the soup well, it should be getting nice and thick and you add the chicken. Give the soup 15 more minutes over low heat. Check the seasoning, you’ll probably have to add more salt and maybe some extra harissa. Garnish each bowl with the herbed oil and serve with Smida, Moroccan semolina flatbread.
Meal type:	Starter, Soup
Servings:	6
Copyright:	© kayotickitchen.com