Name: Moroccan harira with saffron yoghurt
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 200 min
Total time: 240 min
Yield: 6 - 8
Ingredients: 60 ml (¼ cup) olive oil or clarified butter; 250 gm boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 3cm cubes; 3 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 600gm), cut into 3cm cubes; 1 onion, finely chopped; 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 1 long green chilli, finely chopped; ½ cup each (firmly packed) coriander and flat-leaf parsley; 2 celery stalks, finely chopped; 2 vine-ripened tomatoes, finely chopped; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1 tbsp ground cumin; 1 tsp each ground black pepper, cinnamon, ginger and paprika; ½ tsp ground allspice; 1 litre (4 cups) chicken stock; 400 gm canned chopped tomatoes; 100 gm (½ cup) dried chickpeas, soaked in cold water overnight, drained; 80 gm dried small green lentils; 60 gm spaghettini, broken into 3cm pieces; 60 ml (¼ cup) lemon juice; To serve: coriander and mint (optional); Saffron yoghurt; 500 gm Greek-style yoghurt; 1 garlic clove, finely grated; ½ tsp saffron threads

Moroccan harira with saffron yoghurt

It's no wonder that this soup is a staple dish during Ramadan. Packed with vegetables, lentils, chicken and lamb, it's a wholesome and flavourful way to break a fast.

Serves 6 - 8

Prep

40M

Cook

3H 20M

Total

It’s easy to understand why harira is the traditional soup to break Ramadan; it’s everything you need in one bowl to satisfy your hunger, especially when it’s topped with a thick saffron yoghurt. Begin this recipe a day ahead to soak the chickpeas and drain the yoghurt.

Ingredients

60 ml (¼ cup) olive oil or clarified butter

250 gm boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 3cm cubes

3 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 600gm), cut into 3cm cubes

1 onion, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 long green chilli, finely chopped

½ cup each (firmly packed) coriander and flat-leaf parsley

2 celery stalks, finely chopped

2 vine-ripened tomatoes, finely chopped

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 tsp each ground black pepper, cinnamon, ginger and paprika

½ tsp ground allspice

1 litre (4 cups) chicken stock

400 gm canned chopped tomatoes

100 gm (½ cup) dried chickpeas, soaked in cold water overnight, drained

80 gm dried small green lentils

60 gm spaghettini, broken into 3cm pieces

60 ml (¼ cup) lemon juice

To serve: coriander and mint (optional)

Saffron yoghurt

500 gm Greek-style yoghurt

1 garlic clove, finely grated

½ tsp saffron threads

Method

1.For saffron yoghurt, combine ingredients in a bowl, season to taste, transfer to a sieve lined with muslin, place over a bowl and refrigerate overnight until thick (discard liquid).

2.Heat 40ml oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, add lamb and chicken and brown all over (5-7 minutes). Set aside.

3.Blend onion, garlic, chilli and herbs in a small food processor to a paste. Heat remaining oil in a saucepan over medium heat, add onion paste and sauté until fragrant (2-3 minutes). Add celery and tomatoes, stir to combine, then add tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly darker in colour (1-2 minutes). Add spices, stir until fragrant (30 seconds to 1 minute), then add stock, canned tomatoes, lamb and chicken, reduce heat to low, then cover and cook until meat starts to become tender (60-80 minutes).

4.Meanwhile, cover chickpeas with plenty of cold water in a saucepan over medium heat and simmer until tender (40-45 minutes), then drain.

5.Add lentils and chickpeas to soup and simmer until lentils are cooked through (50 minutes to 1 hour). Add spaghettini, simmer until tender (7-8 minutes), then add lemon juice, stir to combine and serve hot topped with coriander and mint, and saffron yoghurt.