Recipe courtesy of Boujemaa Mars

Harira Ramadam: Soup of Fava Beans and Lentils

  • Level: Intermediate
  • Yield: 6 to 8 servings
  • Total: 50 min
  • Prep: 15 min
  • Cook: 35 min
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Ingredients

1 quart water

1 cup chickpeas

2 onions, finely chopped

1 teaspoon ground tumeric

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 pound beef, preferably diced fillet

1/4 bunch cilantro

1/2 bunch flat leaf parsley

1/4 bunch chopped lovage, optional

10 vine tomatoes, peeled and seeded, grated or chopped finely

1/2 cup rice or crushed vermicelli

1 cup water flour mixture (1 tablespoon flour dissolved in 1 cup water)

1 cup fava beans, soaked and drained

1 cup lentils (optional)

Salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

  1. Place the following into a deep saucepan and cover with water; chickpeas, chopped onion, spices, meat. Bring to the boil and simmer until the chickpeas are tender.
  2. Chop the cilantro and flat leaf parsley, and lovage, if using, and grind in pestle and mortar to release the flavors.
  3. Then, add the herbs, pulped tomatoes, and rice. After about 5 minutes add the water flour mixture, this helps the soup thicken and lighten in color. Finally add the fava beans, and lentils, if adding. Simmer for about 20 to 30 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt.
  4. Drizzle with olive oil and serve with bread and sweet dates.

Let's Get Cooking!

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susan19514

I've also been to Morocco - multiple times. I also have a Moroccan husband. The thing about Harira is that it's a personal recipe. One that is different from household to household and region to region. It's a recipe that is passed down from mother to daughter. So it's understandable and possible that your recipe (or harira recipes that you've tasted did not contain rice and had other variations. Such is the nature of this recipe. The recipe above is consistant with what I have been taught by Moroccans, with one exception - saffron - just a few strands. Delicious!

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