Harira 2

Serves: 8
Prep. time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 2 hours or longer

Ingredients: 

• ½ cup dried chick-peas 
• 1 pound lamb, trimmed and cut into ½ -inch cubes 
• 1 teaspoon turmeric 
• Pinch of pulverized saffron 
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger (optional) 
• 1 tablespoon smen (cooked and salted butter) or 2 tablespoons sweet butter 
• 3/4 cup chopped celery leaves and ribs 
• 2 medium yellow onions 
• ½  cup chopped parsley 
• 2 pounds tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped 
• Salt 
• 3/4 cup dried lentils 
• 8 small white onions 
• ¼ cup fine soup noodles (optional) 
• 2 eggs beaten with the juice of ½  lemon 
• Lemon slices and cinnamon for garnish 

Direction: 

1. Soak the chick-peas in water to cover overnight. 
2. Drain and husk if desired. 
3. Put the lamb, spices, smen, celery, chopped onions, and parsley in the soup pot and cook, stirring, over moderately low heat for 5 minutes. 
4. Then add the tomatoes and continue cooking 10 to 15 minutes longer. 
5. Salt lightly.  
6. Meanwhile, wash the lentils in a sieve under running water until the water runs clear. 
7. Add the lentils to the pot with 2 quarts water. 
8. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, 11/2 hours. 
9. Add the small white onions and continue cooking the soup 30 minutes. 
10. Five minutes before serving add the soup noodles. 
11. When they are tender, pour the egg and lemon juice mixture into the simmering soup and turn off the heat immediately. 
12. Stir rapidly to form long egg strands. 
13. Taste for seasoning and serve with lemon slices and a light dusting of ground cinnamon.