Harira — Moroccan Lentil & Chickpea Soup

Ingredients

• ¾ cup dried lentils, rinsed
• 1 can chickpeas, drained
• 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
• 1 onion + 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1 tsp each: ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, black pepper
• ½ tsp saffron threads (optional but transporting)
• 6 cups vegetable stock
• ⅓ cup rice or broken vermicelli
• Big bunch cilantro + parsley, chopped
• Lemon wedges and dates, to serve

Method

1. Soften the onion and celery in olive oil in a big pot, 5 minutes, then bloom the ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, and pepper in the fat for 1 minute — the kitchen should suddenly smell like a Marrakech evening.
2. Add the tomatoes, lentils, stock, and saffron. Simmer 25 minutes, until the lentils are tender.
3. Add the chickpeas and the rice or vermicelli and simmer 10 minutes more, until the grains are cooked and the soup is thick enough to hold a spoon upright for a moment.
4. Stir in most of the herbs and season assertively — harira should taste layered and warm, not shy.
5. Serve with lemon for squeezing and dates on the side — the traditional Ramadan pairing of sweet and savory. Feeds a crowd; improves overnight.