Ingredients
- 300 g diced lamb shoulder
- 2 marrow bones
- 3 lemons cut in half for serving
- 1 celery heart and 2 stalks, chopped
- 3 medium onions, chopped, 6 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander
- 10 cl of sunflower oil, 6 tablespoons of finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 100 g of blond lentils, the juice of 2 lemons
- 100g chickpeas soaked the day before
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 dose of saffron
- 1 teaspoon of freshly ground white pepper
- 3 liters of water, 3 tablespoons of flour
- 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
- 1 kg of fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced
- 100 g fine vermicelli, 100 g round rice
Preparation
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Harira in Morocco is a generic term for cereal-based soups. This particular recipe is a version of the rich and thick harira that Moroccans eat in the evening, during Ramadan, to break the fast.
It is also eaten for breakfast and served in small street restaurants in the medina of Marrakech, in clay bowls with a large wooden spoon.
In the following recipes, the meat and marrow bones can be replaced with chicken stock and the saffron with two large pinches of turmeric.
The day before, soak the chickpeas and lentils separately in cold water with bicarbonate of soda.
The next day, rinse the lentils carefully in cold water, drain
and book. Boil the chickpeas for 20 minutes in their soaking water, drain them and let them cool before removing the skins by pinching the chickpeas between your thumb, index and middle fingers.
Rinse under cold running water, drain and set aside.
In a large casserole dish, heat the oil. Add the onions and celery and cook for 5 to 8 minutes over low heat. Add the meat, marrow bones, chickpeas and lentils.
Salt and pepper. Cover with 2 liters of water. Bring to the boil, cover, reduce heat and cook for 1 hour 30 minutes over low heat.
If foam forms, gently remove it with a slotted spoon. After an hour, remove the marrow bones and set them aside on a plate.
Check the meat for doneness. When it is cooked, set it aside on a plate covered with aluminum foil. You will reheat it in the soup just before serving. Prepare the saffron: grill
the filaments then pound them while they are hot. Pour this powder into a jar and fill it with hot water. Shake vigorously, it’s ready.
After 1 hour 30 minutes, dilute the flour in 30 cl of water.
Also dilute the tomato paste in 2 tablespoons of water and add everything to the mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture is thick and smooth. Then add the tomatoes, vermicelli, rice and saffron.
Stir with a wooden spoon, cover and cook for 30 minutes over medium heat. 10 minutes before the end of cooking, add the lemon juice and mix thoroughly. Finally, add the parsley and coriander. The harira should be creamy but not too thick. Adjust the seasoning before serving.
We serve the harira hot, accompanied by half a lemon that everyone adds to their taste.
