Hajar's Own Harira
Moroccan Lentil Soup
Moroccan-Style Vegetable Soup
Moroccan Potato Bean Soup


Hajar's Own Harira -- the National Soup of Morocco

There are as many recipes for harira as there are people who eat it
though there are essentials. The beans and lentils, cilantro (fresh
leaf), tomato and pasta of some sort. This is my own recipe based on
ingredients and flavors which I enjoyed from other hariras. Harira is
eaten all year, not only at Ramadan though it would not be Ramadan
without it! This soup along with others is used traditionally for
breakfast at sunset. This would be a first course served with
accompaniments and bread before moving on to heavier foods. Many break
fast with milk and dates; a very old tradition and I doubt that they
knew way back when that the combination of natural sugar and the milk
protein were a near perfect combination. Some find this a bit too rough
for the first thing in the stomach. While harira is the national soup
of Morocco, history tells that this is not a Moroccan invention but an
invention of the Maghreb of which Morocco is a part. This recipe may
look truly daunting though it really isn't. In our house the first
course on the table is always either harira, chorba, or one of my
stews; usually chicken, dates, pistachios and fruit. Then after that
settles we move on to a normal main course without the use of garlic as
it is forbidden during Ramadan. Before bed we will usually have a pot
of tea and a rice pudding, dessert couscous or just the tea. Shebakia,
the very honey sweet special Ramadan sesame cookies are always here
though we prefer to have them with coffee and not necessarily daily.

By: Hajar Ana L'Maghrebia
Yield: 8 servings

1 cup whole dried fava beans
1 cup dried garbanzo beans
2 liters water
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
3 cups onions, minced
1/2 pound lamb, cut in small pieces
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons sweet paprika (the best most vibrant you can find)
1/2 teaspoon finely ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon finely ground caraway seeds
3/4 cup tomato paste
1 lemon
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves, chopped
1 cup lentils, soaked for 1 hour 1 in cold water and drained
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
2 to 3 teaspoons cooking salt
2 cups vermicelli, broken into 1/4-inch pieces
Lemon wedges, for serving

Rinse and pick over fava beans if you can't get these then use dried
broad/lima/butter beans and chickpeas. Soak overnight in water to
cover. Quick soak method; place beans in large soup pot and add 2
litres hot water. Bring water to a rolling boil for 5 minutes. Turn off
heat and soak beans for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Squeeze each fava bean and
chickpea between your thumb and first two fingers to remove skins. Set
aside.

In large soup pot over medium heat, cook the onions and meat (chicken
can be used as well as beef or no meat at all though NEVER pork)
stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and transluscent.

Add turmeric, ginger, paprika and 2 litres water. Cover and bring to
rolling boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, add fava beans, chickpeas and
cook, covered, until beans are tender. 1 to 1 1/2 hours depending on
your beans.
Finely chop together tomatoes, parsley and cilantro. Add this mixture
along with the tomato paste, the lentils, pepper, juice of the lemon
and drop in 1/2 of the squeezed lemon and salt to taste. Cover and cook
until lentils are tender 20 to 25 minutes.

Bring back to the boil and make a fairly thick slurry (flour and water)
with the 1/2 cup of flour. Add this to the boiling soup stirring very
briskly to avoid lumps. Boil one minute stirring constantly. Add nutmeg
and caraway. Bring the soup to medium heat, you just want a nice slow
bubbling.
Add pasta (orzo or small soup pasta can be used as well though I always
prefer vermecelli) and cook until soft. Taste and add salt to taste and
adjust pepper. When soup is heated through, ladle harira into
individual soup bowls. Serve immediately with lemon wedges, Moroccan
flat bread ("My Rough Khoubz works well) or crusty french baquette.
This soup should be velvety, not overly thick.

Prep time does not include soaking the beans.

NB: Harira is eaten all year, not only at Ramadan. In Morocco the
nutmeg is ground to a powder which is darker and very pungent. If you
cannot find or do your nutmeg this way, then I recommend that you
purchase the freshest nutmeg that you can find.

Source: <http://www.recipezaar.com/139815>



Moroccan Lentil Soup

"Thick, delicious and nutritious, especially in the winter!"

Submitted by: Grace and Mae
Yield: 6 plus servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Ready In: 2 hours 5 minutes

2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
6 cups water
1 cup red lentils
15 ounce can garbanzo beans, drained
19 ounce can cannellini beans
14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 Tablespoon olive oil

In large pot saute; the onions, garlic, and ginger in a little olive
oil for about 5 minutes.

Add the water, lentils, chick peas, white kidney beans, diced tomatoes,
carrots, celery, garam masala, cardamom, cayenne pepper and cumin.
Bring to a boil for a few minutes then simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or
longer, until the lentils are soft.

Puree half the soup in a food processor or blender. Return the pureed
soup to the pot, stir and enjoy!

Source: <http://soup.allrecipes.com/az/MoroccanLentilSoup.asp>



Moroccan-Style Vegetable Soup

Categories: Soups, Moroccan, Vegetarian
Yield: 8 servings

2 Tablespoons safflower oil
2 large onions,chopped
2 medium potatoes,scrubbed and cut into 3/4 inch chunks
2 cups raw pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch
chunks
2 large carrots,coarsely chopped
14 ounce can plum tomatoes with liquid, chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon turmeric
2 cup chick peas,canned or well-cooked
Salt to taste
Fresh ground pepper to taste
1 cup whole grain couscous (presteamed, cracked semolina)

Heat the oil in a large soup pot. Add the onions and saute over
moderate heat until golden. Add the potatoes, pumpkin or squash,
carrots, tomatoes, and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then add
the seasonings and simmer over low heat, covered, for approximately 45
minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.

Add the chick peas and season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer
over very low heat for another 15 minutes.

In the meantime, place the couscous in an oven-proof bowl. Cover with
two cups of boiling water, then cover the bowl and let stand for 15
minutes. Fluff with a fork. Place a small amount of the couscous in
each soup bowl, then ladle the soup over it. Serve at once.

Source: <http://www.recipesource.com/soups/soups/01/rec0130.html>



Moroccan Potato Bean Soup

"A delicious, creamy soup and enjoyed anytime. The soup is medium
spicy. If you favor a less spicy soup, reduce the amount of peppers
used. Vegetable stock may be used instead of water."


Submitted by: William Anatooskin
Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Ready In: 1 hour

6 cups water
15 ounce can kidney beans
3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, chopped
2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 Tablespoons chicken bouillon powder
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
2 teaspoons curry powder
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup dry potato flakes
1/4 cup chopped green onions

In a medium-size cooking pot, add water and white kidney beans and
bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

In a frying pan, saute onions in olive oil until lightly brown.

To cooking pot, add potatoes, sauteed onions, chicken soup base,
turmeric, black pepper, white pepper, cayenne pepper, curry powder, and
soy sauce, and cook until potatoes are tender.

Add whole milk and half and half cream and bring back to boil. Add
instant potato flakes, stirring until well blended. Adjust seasonings
to taste. Garnish with chopped chives or green onions.

Source: <http://soup.allrecipes.com/az/MoroccanPotatoBeanSp.asp>


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