Harira
Submitted by the man
Harira, the traditional Moroccan soup with lamb, chickpeas, broad beans, saffron, and a velvety tomato-herb base thickened with an overnight flour paste. A slow-simmered bowl with deep, layered spice.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
2 hrsREADY
10 hrsHarira is Morocco’s iconic lamb and legume soup, traditionally served to break the Ramadan fast. This version builds its base from browned lamb with saffron and paprika, then simmers for over 2 hours with soaked chickpeas, dried broad beans, and soup bones until the broth is rich and deeply flavored.
The flour-water paste soaked overnight is the traditional thickener. Mixed into the blended tomato, parsley, and coriander puree that goes in during the last 20 minutes, it gives harira its signature velvety body that’s thicker than broth but lighter than a stew.
Vermicelli added at the end cooks directly in the soup, absorbing flavor and adding starch that ties everything together. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice right before serving brightens the whole bowl.
Chef Tips
- Soak the chickpeas overnight and pop off the skins before adding them to the pot. Skinless chickpeas cook more evenly and give the soup a smoother texture.
- The flour-water paste must be soaked overnight. If you forgot, dissolve a teaspoon of yeast in warm water as a substitute. The fermentation adds a similar tangy depth.
- Blend the tomatoes, parsley, and coriander with water before adding to the pot. This puree should be smooth so it integrates seamlessly into the velvety broth.
- The finished soup should coat a spoon. Too thin? Stir in more flour paste. Too thick? Add water until it feels right.
Variations
- Substitute lentils for the chickpeas for a faster-cooking version.
- Use chicken instead of lamb for a lighter, more delicate harira.
- Replace vermicelli with rice for a heartier, starchier bowl.
Ingredients
Directions
Soak overnight ⅓ cup flour in 1 cup water; ½ cup chick peas in water to cover.
Brown in lightly oil deep pan lamb, onions, saffron and paprika (increase or decrease according to taste).
Add 6 cups of water, soup bones, butter, salt, pepper, pre-soaked chick peas with skins popped off and discafrded, and the dried broad beans which have been washed and cleaned.
Simmer, covered, for 2 hours or more.
20 minutes before serving, put through a food mill into the soup pan (or blend with one cup of water) the tomatoes, parsley, corinader and the flour and water paste.
Add 3 cups of water, and when it returns to boil, add the vermicelli.
When the vermicelli is cooked, add 1 tablespoon butter and lemon juice (or serve a wedge of lemon with each bowl to be squeezed on the soup at the tatle).
The soup should be velvety; so add water or flour thickening if it is not.
*Note: Lentils may be substituted for chick peas; meat can be chicken; yearst may be used in place of flour and water if that mixture was not made night before; rice may be substituted for vermicelli.
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