Moroccan harira soup

Recipe for Moroccan harira soup

For 1.5 to 2 litres of soup

I admit: this soup is a bit of a task. But the result is worth it! Making this richly filled, savoury, and comforting dish is an ideal pastime on a rainy day off. Enjoy it for lunch or serve this soup with a piece of flatbread or pide as a dinner dish and freeze any leftovers for another time.

I prepare this harira using an Indian cooking method, by adding 'tarka' at the end to flavour the soup. This is a spice mixture that is gently fried in butter (or ghee) to give a wonderful taste and aroma to already prepared dishes. This is widely used in India, and I am a big fan of it!

Ingredients:

For the dry rub: 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground cardamom 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon paprika 0.5 teaspoon ground ginger

For the soup: 300 grams diced lamb 1 tablespoon sunflower oil 1 small onion 1 carrot 1 parsnip (or an extra carrot) 4 cloves of garlic 2 bay leaves 1 can of diced tomatoes (400 grams) 140 grams dried red lentils 3-4 strands of saffron Small can of chickpeas (100 grams net weight needed) Small bunch of coriander 200 ml yoghurt Harissa to taste

For the tarka: 1 tablespoon butter Half a teaspoon ground cumin Half a teaspoon ground ginger Half a teaspoon paprika

Preparation: Mix the spices for the dry rub together with 2 teaspoons of salt and mix this well with the meat. Gently fry the meat in a large pan in the sunflower oil for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, peel the onion and garlic cloves and chop finely. Peel the carrot (and parsnip) and cut into cubes. Once the meat is browned, remove it from the pan and set aside. In the same pan, sauté the onions, garlic, and carrot/parsnip with 1 teaspoon of salt and the bay leaves. Add a little sunflower oil if the pan is too dry. Let it cook on medium heat until the onions are translucent, which takes about 15-20 minutes. Then add the canned tomatoes, fill the can with water and add that as well. Bring to a boil and then add the saffron, the fried meat, and the dried lentils. Bring to a boil again and let the soup simmer gently with the lid slightly ajar for at least one to one and a half hours. Add a little water if you see that the soup is getting too thick; the lentils need to soak and cook properly. Meanwhile, chop the coriander leaves and stems finely and set aside. While the soup is cooking, make the tarka by melting the butter in a small pan and adding the spices. Let it fry gently until it starts to smell nice; then the tarka is ready. Set this aside.

Once the lentils and meat are tender (the meat takes longer than the lentils, so take your time!), finish the soup: Add the tarka, along with the yoghurt, the chopped coriander, and a teaspoon of harissa. Taste to see if you find the soup spicy enough; if not, continue adding a bit more harissa.

Enjoy your meal!

By: Marleen

Categories: Kitchen secrets