Moroccan Chickpea and Lamb Soup

HARIRA

MOROCCO

Harira is Morocco’s national soup and the first nourishment Moroccans take when they break their fast during Ramadan. Throughout that month, people replace the dates with sh’bakkiyah, a crisp fried pastry that is dipped in syrup. Serve with dates or sh’bakkiyah: both offer an intriguing sweet contrast to the slightly tart soup.

SERVES 6

⅓ cup (75 g) dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in plenty of water with ½ teaspoon baking soda

7 ounces (200 g) lean lamb, cut into small cubes

1 medium onion (5 ounces/150 g), halved lengthwise and cut into thin wedges

A few sprigs flat-leaf parsley, most of the stems discarded, finely chopped

¾ teaspoon finely ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

Pinch of saffron threads

One 14-ounce (400 g) can chopped tomatoes

2 tablespoons (30 g) unsalted butter

2 ounces (50 g) broken vermicelli

A few sprigs cilantro, most of the stems discarded, finely chopped

1 tablespoon tomato paste

Juice of 1 lemon, or more to taste

4 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour

Sea salt

1. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Spread them onto a clean cloth. Cover them with another cloth and, with a rolling pin, crush them lightly to split them in half and loosen their skins. Peel and discard the skins.

2. Put the peeled split chickpeas into a large pot. Add the lamb, onion, parsley, pepper, ginger, saffron, tomatoes and their juice, and 2 quarts (2 liters) water. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Add the butter, then cover the pot and let bubble for 1 hour.

3. Add the vermicelli, cilantro, tomato paste, and lemon juice and reduce the heat to low. Mix the flour with ⅔ cup (160 ml) water and slowly pour into the soup, stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming. The soup should thicken to a velvety consistency at the end of cooking. Add salt to taste and simmer for a couple more minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve very hot.