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Sunday harira

Exotic and easy soup that is traditionally used to break fast at Ramadan

5 - 6

Serves

20 mins

Prep Time

2 hrs

Cook Time

Lazy Sunday Club

Recipe author

Lazy Sunday Club

Experience the rich, aromatic essence of North African cuisine with this harira recipe. The hearty lamb and lentil soup, thickened to perfection, is a staple during Ramadan. It’s a filling meal with vibrant spices, fresh coriander, and a squeeze of lemon - ideal for any time of year!

This recipe is courtesy of Lazy Sunday Club.

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Ingredients

Harira

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1kg Quality Mark lamb shoulder

excess fat removed

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60g (¼ cup, approx) olive oil

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2 stalks celery stalks

very finely chopped

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1 onion

very finely chopped

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2 carrots

very finely chopped

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1½ tsp sweet paprika

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1½ tsp ground ginger

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1½ tsp ground cumin

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1 tsp ground cinnamon

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1 tsp ground turmeric

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2 Tbsp tomato paste

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150g (⅔ cup) brown lentils

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1.75L (7 cups) chicken stock

preferably homemade

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250ml (1 cup) tomato passata

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50g (⅓ cup) plain flour

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juice of 1 lemon

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400g can chickpeas

rinsed and drained

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chopped fresh coriander

to serve

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lemon

wedges, to serve

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60g vermicelli noodles

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dried, broken

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pitted date

to serve

Method

For the harira

1

Cut the lamb into 4cm pieces. Heat 1 Tbsp of the olive oil over high heat in a large frying pan, add half the lamb, then cook, turning often, for 5-6 minutes, until it’s nicely browned all over. Repeat with the remaining lamb, adding a little more oil if necessary.

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2

Meanwhile, heat the remaining olive oil in a very large saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped vegetables, then cook, stirring often, for 8 minutes or until tender.

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3

Add the spices and tomato paste, then cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until fragrant.

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4

Add the lamb with any standing juices and the stock. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 1 hour 20 minutes or until the lamb is very tender.

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5

While the lamb cooks, combine the lentils with enough cold water to generously cover in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, then cook over medium heat for 20 minutes or until just tender. Drain and set aside.

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6

Combine the passata, lemon juice and 125ml (½ cup) water in a bowl. Add the flour and whisk until smooth.

7

Whisking constantly, add the flour mixture to the soup in the pan, then, stirring constantly to prevent lumps forming, bring to a simmer.

8

Cook, stirring, for 10 minutes to allow the flour to cook out.

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9

Add the lentils, chickpeas and vermicelli, then cook for 5 minutes or until the vermicelli is tender.

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10

Season the soup with salt and pepper, then divide among large bowls. Serve with chopped coriander, with lemon wedges for squeezing and dates passed separately.

Nutrition Information per Serving (703g)

This nutrition analysis is based on 6 serves.

Energy

2425kJ (580 kcal)

Protein

44.5g

Total Fat

25.5g

Saturated Fat

6.8g

Carbs

38.2g

Dietary Fibre

8.6g

Sodium

962mg

Iron

6.0mg

Zinc

7.0mg

Vitamin B12

2.4µg