Makes 8 servings
Harira is a traditional Moroccan dish most closely associated with Ramadan — it’s often served to break the day’s fast — and likely to be found simmering lazily on my stovetop when the weather turns chilly. It’s basic, simple to make, thick and satisfying — almost as much stew as soup and, like stew, better the day after it’s made. It’s the deeply fragrant spices — both very comforting and just a little exotic — that first draw you in and tip you to the fact that the soup’s roots are in North Africa. The mix includes ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, cumin and saffron. And then it’s the combination of add-ins that keeps you coming back: lentils, chickpeas, tomatoes and broken strands of thin noodles. Some recipes for harira are meatless, some aren’t; this one includes small meatballs. Though you can skip them, if you’d like, I usually don’t: I like having another texture in the mix, and I love how they pick up and absorb the soup’s flavors.
Working Ahead
The soup can be made ahead and refrigerated, covered, for up to 3 days. It will thicken considerably, so you’ll need to thin it with broth or water and then adjust the seasonings before serving.
If you want to include the meatballs, heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook, stirring, just until they are colored on all sides, about 5 minutes. (You don’t have to cook them all the way through, because they’ll be cooked further in the soup.) Transfer the meatballs to a bowl, pour out the oil and carefully give the pot a swipe with a paper towel.
Melt the butter in the pot over medium-low heat and add the onions, garlic and celery. Cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables just start to soften. Add the spices, stirring, so they blend with the vegetables and don’t burn. Cook the spices for just a couple of minutes, then stir in the tomatoes and half of the parsley or cilantro; return the meatballs, if you’ve made them, to the pot. Bring to a simmer and cook over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring now and then.
Add the broth or water to the pot, increase the heat and bring to a boil. Adjust the heat so that the liquid simmers, stir in the lentils, partially cover the pot and let everything bubble away gently for 1 hour. Take a peek at what’s going on now and then. If it looks as if the liquid is cooking away, add more broth or water, ¼ to ½ cup at a time.
Add the chickpeas and cook, partially covered, for 30 minutes more. Taste and see if you’d like to stir in more of any of the spices.
Just before you’re ready to serve, stir in the broken pasta. Cook, uncovered, for 4 minutes, or until the pasta is tender. Stir in the rest of the parsley or cilantro.
Lemon juice is a must, but you have a choice with it: You can add it in the kitchen and then ladle out the soup, or put lemon wedges on the table and make it a do-it-yourself affair.