Eat * Cook

Harira

Salam Maulidur Rasul!

With the public holiday that is today, in conjunction with Prophet Muhammads birthday, I decided to make Harira for dinner. It is a Moroccon dish that is usually served after sundown during the month of Ramadhan. But that is far away yet and I felt like something warm and hearty today. Plus I love Middle Eastern Cuisine!

Ingredients

1 cup dried chickpeas
20g butter
2 medium brown onions chopped finely
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4cm piece fresh ginger, grated
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
500g diced lamb (or mutton/beef)
3 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped coarsely
2 litres hot water
1/2 cup 100g brown lentils
2 tablespoons plain flour
1/2 cup white long-grain rice
1/2 cup firmly packed fresh coriander leaves
2 tablespoons lemon juice

1. Place chickpeas in medium bowl, cover with water and stand overnight. Drain and rinse under cold water.
2. Heat butter in a large saucepan; cook onion, celery and garlic, stirring, until onion softens. Add ginger, cinnamon, pepper and turmeric and cook until fragrant. Then add the lamb and cook, stirring about 5 minutes until it is brown.
3. Add chickpeas and tomato, cook until tomato softens. Stir in water and bring to boil, reduce heat and cover, simmer for 45 minutes. Add lentils and cook for another 1 hour.
4. Blend flour with 1/2 cup of the slightly cooled Harira broth in a small bowl; stir into lamb mixture with rice. Cook, stirring until mixture boils and thickens. Lastly add coriander and lemon juice into Harira just before serving.