Harira: Moroccan Lamb and Bean Soup

To be born of two cultures is a blessing and a curse. For me the blessing was the food: the familiar yet unfamiliar smell of spices that flavour  Moroccan food, the tiny little cakes left around the dining room which could be picked up at leisure.

 

One recipe sticks in my mind as the ultimate comfort food and that's my grand-dad's Harira, A wonderful dish of lamb, chickpeas and lentils, this is the ultimate cure for the winter blues.

 

I seldom cook Harira because it is full of calories for a soup moreover one bowl is never enough. But on these rare occasions it is nice to share and this is my inheritance recipe

 

Be prepared to let the soup cook for at least 30 minutes.

 

 

Harira: Moroccan Lamb and Bean Soup

 

Ingredients

    1 tbsp oil

1 large onion, roughly chopped

1 pound of bone-in shoulder lamb chopped in small pieces (but any lamb meat will do)

1 carrot, cut into pieces

2 large tomatoes, roughly chopped

1 small potato, roughly chopped

2 tbsp dried  lentils (I use red lentils but again any will do)

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp turmeric

 1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1/4 tsp hot paprika

600ml  of  chicken stock

1 can of chopped tomatoes

1  can chick peas

large handful or chopped coriander

 a dollop of Greek yogurt to garnish (optional)

Method

heat oil in a large pot and cook the lamb for 2 to 3 minutes until brown . Remove to a plate and set aside

Reduce the heat to medium add onion and cook for 2 minutes mix in all the spices for 15 seconds. Add the stock bring to simmer. Scrap up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot.

Stir in the tomato and the lentils, return the lamb to pot. Bring to boil aand immediately reduce to simmer for 20 minutes

Add the chick peas and cook for a further 10 minutes add more liquid if it seems too thick.

Serve with a handful of coriander and a dollop of Greek yogurt.

I have to thank Sue for emailing me this recipe and generate an idea which I hope will be popular with food bloggers, in the new year Pebble Soup will be hosting its own event: Your Inheritance Recipes....watch this space.