Harira

Method

1. 1Brown the meat and build the base. Cut the meat into 1.5 cm cubes. Grate the onion or chop it very finely, chop the celery finely and mince the garlic. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the lamb or beef and brown on all sides — 5 to 6 minutes. Don't crowd the pot; brown in batches if needed. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until golden. Add the garlic, celery, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, paprika, and black pepper. Stir and cook for 2 minutes until the spices are fragrant. For a vegetarian version, skip the meat and start directly with the onion.
2. 2Add the tomatoes, herbs, and legumes. Add the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. If you are using fresh tomatoes, grate them on a box grater and throw away the skins. Stir and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the tomato paste darkens slightly. Drain the chickpeas (240 g is the drained weight, one 400 g can) and add them with the lentils and half each of the coriander and parsley, both finely chopped. Pour in the stock or water. Stir everything together and bring to a boil over high heat.
3. 3Simmer until everything is tender. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 60 to 75 minutes (beef chuck can need up to 90), stirring occasionally, until a cube of meat breaks apart when you press it with a spoon and the lentils have begun to fall apart. Without meat, 45 to 55 minutes is enough. The lentils thicken the soup naturally as they cook. If the soup looks too thick, add a little more water. Taste and adjust salt — harira needs generous seasoning. Many Moroccan cooks add 3 tablespoons of broken vermicelli or rice towards the end of the simmer and cook it until tender. This version leaves it out; add it if you like a fuller soup.
4. 4Make the tedouira and finish the soup. In a small bowl, whisk the flour with the cold water until completely smooth with no lumps. This is the tedouira — the traditional flour slurry that gives harira its silky texture. With the soup at a gentle simmer, slowly pour in the tedouira while stirring constantly. It takes 2 to 3 minutes to thicken, so add it in stages and stop when the soup lightly coats the back of a spoon; you may not need all of it. Keep stirring to prevent lumps. Simmer for another 5 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.
5. 5Finish with herbs and serve. Stir in the remaining coriander and parsley. Taste one final time and adjust seasoning. The soup should be thick, silky, and deeply flavoured. Ladle into bowls and serve hot with lemon wedges. Traditional accompaniments: fresh dates, hard-boiled eggs, and warm Moroccan bread (khobz).