Harira is a hearty and wholesome Moroccan soup, traditionally served to break the fast during Ramadan, but enjoyed year-round. It’s a rich, thick soup packed with lamb, lentils, chickpeas, vermicelli, and a complex blend of Moroccan spices, often thickened with a flour and water mixture called tadwir.

Prep Time	Cook Time	Serves
25 minutes	1 hour 30 minutes	8

Part A: Ingredients

• Meat: 1 lb Lamb stew meat (or beef), cut into $1/2$ inch cubes.
• Legumes: 1 cup Brown or green lentils (rinsed), 1 (15 oz) can Chickpeas (rinsed and drained).
• Aromatics/Base: 1 large Onion (finely chopped), 3 cloves Garlic (minced), $1/2$ bunch Fresh cilantro (chopped), $1/2$ bunch Fresh parsley (chopped).
• Tomatoes: 1 (14.5 oz) can Crushed tomatoes, 2 Tbsp Tomato paste.
• Spices: 1 Tbsp Ground ginger, 1 Tbsp Ground turmeric, 1 tsp Ground cinnamon, 1 tsp Ground black pepper, $1/2$ tsp Saffron threads (bloomed in 2 Tbsp hot water).
• Liquid: 8 cups Beef or Lamb stock.
• Thickener (Tadwir): $1/2$ cup All-purpose flour, 1 cup Water (whisked together).
• Noodles: $1/2$ cup Thin vermicelli noodles (broken into small pieces).
• Garnish: Lemon wedges, more fresh cilantro.

Part B: Instructions

Step 1: Sauté Meat and Aromatics

1. Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
2. Add the lamb cubes and sear on all sides until browned. Remove the lamb and set aside.
3. Add the chopped onion to the pot and sauté until translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
4. Stir in half of the chopped cilantro and parsley.

Step 2: Build the Soup Base

1. Return the seared lamb to the pot. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and all the spices (ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, black pepper, and bloomed saffron with its liquid).
2. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring, to allow the spices and tomatoes to deepen in flavor.
3. Add the rinsed lentils and the beef/lamb stock. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour, or until the lamb and lentils are tender.

Step 3: Add Chickpeas and Thicken

1. Add the rinsed and drained chickpeas to the soup.
2. Bring the soup back to a gentle simmer. Slowly pour the flour-water slurry (tadwir) into the simmering soup in a thin stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. The soup should begin to thicken.
3. Continue to simmer gently for another 10-15 minutes, allowing the flour to cook out and the soup to reach a creamy consistency.

Step 4: Finish with Noodles and Herbs

1. Add the broken vermicelli noodles to the soup and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until the noodles are tender.
2. Stir in the remaining fresh cilantro and parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Step 5: Serve

• Ladle the hot Harira into bowls. Serve immediately with lemon wedges, which are squeezed over the soup to add a bright, fresh counterpoint.