Harira

Beat the winter blues! This fragrant Moroccan soup will warm your stomach and soul.

Info

Serves
4
Prep time
Less then 30 minutes
Cooking time
30 minutes to 1 hour

Ingredients

  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 300g / 10.5oz rump steak, finely chopped
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 sticks celery, chopped
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 100g / 3.5oz red lentils
  • 100g / 3.5oz green lentils
  • 100g / 3.5oz rice
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • large pinch saffron strands
  • 3 tsp ground cumin
  • 400g / 14oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 200g / 7oz canned tomatoes, chopped
  • 2 litres / 3.5 pints beef stock
  • 100g / 3.5oz vermicelli noodles
  • 150g / 5.5oz green beans, cut into 1cm / ?in lengths
  • 1/2 lemon, juice only
  • bunch fresh coriander, chopped
  • bunch fresh flatleaf parsley, chopped

To serve

  • warm bread
  • dates
  • harissa

Method

  1. In a large saucepan, heat half the olive oil over a high heat and cook the steak until browned all over. Remove from the pan and set aside.

  2. In the same pan, saute the onion, celery and carrots until softened. Remove from the pan and set aside.

  3. Heat the remaining olive oil in the pan and add the lentils, rice, garlic, cinnamon, saffron and cumin to the pan.

  4. Add the chickpeas, tomatoes and stock, along with the reserved meat and vegetables, and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 25 minutes.

  5. Add the vermicelli and the green beans and stir. After a further five minutes, add the lemon juice, coriander and parsley.

  6. Serve with warm bread, a bowl of dates on the side and a little bowl of harissa.