Harira Soup With Hummus Pitas

I have never been to North Africa. I saw it on the horizon from Spain once though, so I think it’s not much of a stretch to say ‘I’ve seen Morocco’. Therefore I am going to flaunt how well-traveled I am and say this is, without a doubt, very authentic. This soup is so hearty it’s pretty much a stew, and the pitas and hummus make it a nice, filling meal. If you want some extra spice to it, feel free to throw in some cayenne pepper or a minced chili.

HARIRA SOUP WITH HUMMUS PITAS [VEGAN]

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE SOUP:

• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 stick of celery, chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 can of chopped tomatoes
• 1/2 can of chickpeas
• 1/3 cup dry lentils, rinsed (brown/puy/red)
• 1/2 cup long-grain rice
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• A squeeze of lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• A few strands of saffron
• A bunch of coriander, chopped
• A bunch of parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

FOR THE HUMMUS:

• 1/2 can of chickpeas
• Small clove of garlic
• A squeeze of lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon water, plus more as needed
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• A generous pinch of salt
• A pinch of cracked black pepper
• 4 toasted pita breads, to serve, or gluten-free alternative

PREPARATION

TO MAKE THE SOUP:

1. Heat the oil in a pot over a medium heat and add in the onion and celery. Fry for 5 minutes or so until the onion begins to brown. Add in the garlic and fry for a further minute.
2. Stir in the dried spices, then add in the chopped tomatoes and deglaze the pan. Pour in the stock and bring to a simmer.
3. Add in the lemon juice, dried lentils and rice. Cover the pot and allow to simmer for 25 minutes, stirring every so often so the lentils don’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
4. When the lentils begin to get tender, add in the chickpeas, fresh coriander, and parsley and cook for a further 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

TO MAKE THE HUMMUS:

1. Place the chickpeas in a food processor along with the garlic and blend.
2. Add in the olive oil, cumin, tablespoon of water, tahini and lemon juice and continue to blend until smooth.
3. Season with salt and pepper and adjust lemon to taste. If it still needs to be thinned, add a little more water.

http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/harira-soup-with-hummus-pitas/