Harira: Moroccan Soup for Breaking the Fast
Harira is a thick tomato and chickpea soup with which Moroccans break their fast each evening of Ramadan. Lentils, chickpeas, tomatoes, celery and aromatic spices — it is simultaneously a soup and a full meal.
History of the dish
Harira has existed in Morocco for hundreds of years: medieval Moroccan sources mention it. Traditionally prepared by women and served with dates, milk and shebakia (honey pastry) to break the Ramadan fast at sunset.
Key ingredients
Chickpeas (tinned or cooked from dry), red lentils, tomatoes (fresh and purée), celery, onion, parsley, coriander, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, pepper, lemon, flour (to thicken), oil.
How to cook at home
Mix the flour with cold water and add it 10 minutes before the end of cooking to thicken — this is the traditional Moroccan technique. Squeeze lemon juice directly into the bowl, not the pot, so the aroma does not evaporate.
