The Recipe: Harira, the Classic Moroccan Comfort Soup

The North African region is home to some very distinctive and delicious dishes. One of our favorite picks is the traditional Moroccan Harira; a savory tomato-based soup, with chickpeas and lentils, and some add-ons like ginger, turmeric, paprika, cumin, and cinnamon. It’s usually made in several variations, vegetarian, or with meat, lamb, or chicken. While some prefer to have it light, others prefer the thickened version seasoned with fresh herbs. With an abundance of ingredients, it is both filling and flavorful!

Here are the ingredients you will need and an easy recipe for you to follow.

• 1-2 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 tsp turmeric
• 2 tsp cumin
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 2 red chillies, sliced and deseeded
• 500g jar of tomato sauce
• 1.7l reduced-salt vegetable bouillon
• 175ml dried green lentils
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 5 celery sticks, chopped
• 2/3 pack of coriander, few reserved, the rest chopped
• 1 lemon, cut into 4 wedges

Now after you’ve got all your ingredients ready, heat oil in a pan over medium heat and fry your onions and garlic until they begin to soften a little. Next, drop in the spices and stir briefly, and pour the tomato sauce right after. Following this, add the lentils, carrots, celery, and sweet potato, and let them boil by covering the pan and leaving it for 30 minuter. You can then remove the cover for 5 to 10 minutes, until the lentils and vegetables are tender. Lastly, stir in the chopped coriander and serve in a bowl with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over, and the reserved coriander sprinkled on top.

Since it’s winter, a yummy soup can easily become your best friend, a comfort dish, or your go-to when the craving hits. In Morocco however, many people choose to break their fast with a warm harira soup in Ramadan.

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