Harira 1

Serves: 6 to 8
Prep. time: 20 min
Cooking time: 2 hours

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped celery leaves
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 tablespoon smen (cooked and salted butter) or 2 tablespoons fresh butter
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ pound shoulder of lamb, in ½-inch cubes wings, backs and giblets of 1 chicken
• ½ cup dried lentils
• 2 tablespoons green coriander leaves
• Salt to taste
• 2 pounds red, ripe tomatoes, peeled and seeded, then pureed
• ½ cup fine soup noodles
• 3 tablespoons semolina or all-purpose flour mixed with 1/2 cup water 
• lemon wedges

Directions:

1. In a large soup pot, cook the onion, parsley, celery leaves, pepper, and turmeric in the smen for about 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, then add the cinnamon, lamb and chicken. 
2. Cook slowly, turning the mixture over and over until golden but not browned (about 15 to 20 minutes). 
3. Meanwhile, pick over and wash the lentils. In a mortar pound the green coriander leaves with a little salt into a paste or puree the leaves in an electric blender with a spoonful of water. 
4. Add the lentils, coriander paste, and pureed tomatoes to the pot. 
5. Cook 15 minutes over low heat, then pour in 11/2 quarts water and cook until the lentils are soft and the soup is well blended. 
6. Five minutes before serving, salt the soup and add the noodles. 
7. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes, then stir in the flour-water mixture.
8. Cook 3 minutes longer, stirring continuously to avoid any flour nuggets forming. 
9. Serve at once with lemon wedges.