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5.0 from 3 votes

Harira (Moroccan Lentil and Chickpea Soup)

Harira is a traditional soup of the North African region, that is mostly consumed in Morocco and the western part of Algeria

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 20 mins
Total Time
1 hr 30 mins
Servings: 8 people
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Moroccan , Algerian , North African

Ingredients

  • 1 lb beef (shank, chuck or cheek), chopped
  • 1 marrow bone
  • 3 onions
  • 5 talks celery (with leaves)
  • 1 bunch cilantro
  • 6 tomatoes
  • Juice of 2 lemons (or more to taste)
  • 2 (6 oz. / 180 g) cans tomato paste
  • 2 cubes chicken bouillon
  • 1 cup yellow lentils
  • 1 cup chickpeas (soaked for 8 hours)
  • 1 cup vermicelli
  • 5 tablespoons flour , diluted in 2 cups of boiling salted water (prepare 5 minutes before the end of cooking)
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • salt
  • pepper
Equipment
  • Pressure cooker

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. In a pressure cooker, put the tomatoes, onions, half the cilantro bunch, tomato paste, celery, ginger, and bouillon cubes.
  2. Cover with water. Boil for 20 minutes at high heat and mix with the hand blender until reaching a velvety texture.
  3. Add everything else but the flour / water mixture, vermicelli and lemon. Cover generously with water. Add salt and pepper.
  4. Close the pressure cooker and cook for 1 hour total: 30 minutes over medium heat 30 minutes on medium-low.
  5. Open the pressure cooker, add the flour and water mixture prepared at the last minute and stir well.
  6. Add the vermicelli and stir constantly over medium-low heat until cooked.
  7. Add salt and pepper again if needed.
  8. Pour the lemon juice into the pan and add the other half of the bunch of cilantro.