Moroccan Harira Soup (Harira Çorbası) Recipe

Harira is the silky tomato-based Moroccan soup of chickpeas, lentils, lamb and fresh herbs that breaks the fast across Morocco every Ramadan. The Arabic name means silk, after the texture once the tadouira flour-water thickener goes in. Serves 4 in about an hour.

The dish predates Islam. Moroccan culinary historian Lahcen Lahouari traces harira to Amazigh culture some 2,200 years ago, while food historian Gil Marks documents its modern Moroccan origin. Paula Wolfert features it in The Food of Morocco and Mediterranean Clay Pot Cooking. The Turkish Harira Çorbası is a Ramadan crossover, lighter on cinnamon and saffron than the Moroccan original.

The defining move is the tadouira. Flour whisked smooth into cold water, then drizzled into the simmering soup at the end and cooked 5-8 minutes to silk. Without it you have a chunky stew, not harira. A squeeze of lemon at the table cuts through the spice.

Moroccan Harira Soup (Harira Çorbası)

Author: Sandra Cuisine:Moroccan Courses:Soups

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 15 minutesCook time: 50 minutesRest time: minutesTotal time:1 hour 5 minutesCooking Temp:100 CServings:4 servingsEstimated Cost:25 $Calories:240 kcal Best Season:Available

Description

Tomato, chickpea and lentil soup with lamb and fresh herbs, thickened with a flour-water tadouira to silk. Served with lemon.

Ingredients

For the soup

• 150g lamb or beef, finely diced
• 1 tbsp sunflower or olive oil
• 1 medium onion, peeled
• 2 medium tomatoes, peeled
• 1 celery stick
• Small handful flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1½ tsp ground turmeric
• ½ tsp black pepper
• Salt to taste
• 100g cooked chickpeas (or ½ cup pre-soaked, drained)
• 3 tbsp dried green or brown lentils
• 2 tbsp thin vermicelli (tel şehriye)

For the tadouira

• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 4 tbsp cold water

To serve

• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• Extra chopped parsley (and cilantro, if you want the Moroccan original)

Instructions

1. Brown the meat. Heat the oil in a heavy pan. Add the diced lamb or beef and brown all over, 3-4 minutes.
2. Blend the vegetable base. In a blender, combine onion, peeled tomatoes, celery and parsley with a splash of water. Blend to a smooth purée.
3. Add paste and spices. Stir tomato paste, ginger, turmeric, black pepper and salt into the meat. Cook 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Add the vegetable purée. Pour in the blended vegetables. Cover and simmer 30-40 minutes, until the meat is tender.
5. Top up. Add boiling water to reach a proper soup consistency.
6. Make the tadouira. In a small bowl, whisk the flour into the cold water until completely smooth. Drizzle slowly into the soup while stirring constantly.
7. Add legumes and vermicelli. Once the soup returns to a boil, add chickpeas and vermicelli. Cook 10 minutes.
8. Adjust and serve. Check consistency, not too thin and not too thick, add more hot water if needed. Ladle into bowls. Serve with lemon wedges and a scatter of parsley.

Keywords:Moroccan Harira Soup (Harira Çorbası)

FAQs

What is tadouira and why does it matter?

Tadouira is the flour-and-water mixture that gives harira its silky body. Whisked smooth in cold water then drizzled into the simmering soup at the end, it transforms a chunky stew into the velvet-textured dish the Arabic name حَرِير (“silk”) describes. Traditional Moroccan kitchens sometimes prepare the tadouira hours in advance, or even let it ferment overnight with a pinch of yeast.

Can I make harira vegetarian?

Yes. Drop the lamb or beef and double the chickpeas and lentils. The legumes carry the body. Some Moroccan home cooks also add a splash of olive oil to replace the meat fat. The spice base, herbs and tadouira do the heavy lifting either way.

Should I add cinnamon, saffron, or cilantro?

The home-cook version skips cilantro and saffron; both are traditional in the Moroccan original. For full authenticity, stir a small handful of fresh chopped cilantro in near the end, and steep a small pinch of saffron in 2 tbsp warm water added in the last 5 minutes. A pinch of cinnamon (¼ tsp) with the other spices rounds the warmth.

How long does harira keep, and how do I reheat it?

Three days refrigerated airtight. It thickens overnight as the flour and lentils keep drinking liquid, so loosen with a splash of boiling water when reheating over low heat. Reheat without boiling hard, or the tadouira can split. A fresh squeeze of lemon at the table revives the flavour.