Moroccan Harira

Harira is Morocco’s beloved lentil and chickpea soup, warmly spiced and traditionally served to break the fast during Ramadan — though it’s hearty enough for any weeknight.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
• 6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 cup brown or green lentils, rinsed
• 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained
• 1/2 cup vermicelli or broken spaghetti
• Fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
• Lemon wedges, to serve

Instructions

1. Sauté the base
   Heat olive oil in a large pot. Sauté onion and celery for 6 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, turmeric, and cinnamon, and cook 1 minute.
2. Simmer
   Add crushed tomatoes, broth, and lentils. Bring to a boil, then simmer 25-30 minutes until the lentils are tender.
3. Add chickpeas and pasta
   Stir in chickpeas and vermicelli, and cook another 8-10 minutes until the pasta is tender.
4. Serve
   Garnish with cilantro and serve with lemon wedges.