Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra virgin rapeseed oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
2 medium carrots, finely chopped
2 celery ribs, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tablespoons ras el hanout spice blend
1 cinnamon stick or ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
100g green/brown lentils
100g red lentils
500ml passata (see tips)
1.5 litres vegetable stock or water
1 tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
100g orzo (or pasta)
30g fresh coriander
1/2 lemon, juiced
Harira – Moroccan bean and lentil soup
This Moroccan soup, is a one-pot, no-fuss meal which is full of flavour and packed with goodness. We make this dish all the time for a family mid-week meal as well as for large gatherings, the latest was a family get-together of 40 people and we cooked it with my nephew over a campfire.
You can easily adapt this recipe for whatever beans and pulses you have in your cupboard. We sometimes add chorizo to this, adding it when the onions are softened. We have also made it with fish, adding it to the pot towards the end of the cooking time. The vegan version as in the recipe is just as tasty.
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra virgin rapeseed oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
2 medium carrots, finely chopped
2 celery ribs, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tablespoons ras el hanout spice blend
1 cinnamon stick or ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
100g green/brown lentils
100g red lentils
500ml passata (see tips)
1.5 litres vegetable stock or water
1 tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
100g orzo (or pasta)
30g fresh coriander
1/2 lemon, juiced
Method
In a large saucepan, fry the onions with ½ teaspoon of salt over a low heat until softened.
Add the carrots and celery and fry for another five minutes.
Add the garlic, ras el hanout, cinnamon stick and lentils. Fry for another minute.
Add the passata, stock, chickpeas and remaining 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes.
Add the orzo to the soup and cook for 10 to 15 minutes until the pasta is ready. Add more water if needed and check the seasoning.
Stir in the lemon juice and chopped coriander, reserving a little coriander for garnish.
Spoon the soup into bowls and garnish with the chopped coriander.
Tips:
· If you don’t have passata you can use a tin of diced tomatoes instead. If you can, blend the tomatoes until smooth before using.
· If you want to make this ahead of serving or prepare extra for freezing put it aside before adding the orzo. Reheat the soup and add the orzo to cook just before serving.
· This soup is a great way to use up leftover pasta or rice. Add for the last few minutes of cooking time to heat through.