One-Pot Chickpea Harira

A hearty tomato, chickpea and lentil soup with celery, herbs and fine vermicelli, finished with lemon.

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Harira is Moroccan rather than Levantine, but belongs to the wider Arabic table. Lentils and chickpeas give substance while a small flour slurry creates the characteristic silky broth without making it heavy.

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 large Onion (finely chopped)
• 3 Celery stalks (finely chopped, leaves reserved)
• 4 Garlic cloves (crushed)
• 20 g Fresh ginger (finely grated)
• 1 tsp Ground turmeric
• 1 tsp Ground ginger
• 0.5 tsp Ground cinnamon
• 0.75 tsp Black pepper
• 800 g Chopped tomatoes
• 200 g Brown or green lentils (rinsed)
• 500 g Cooked chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
• 1.8 litres Vegetable stock (hot)
• 40 g Fresh coriander (chopped)
• 30 g Fresh parsley (chopped)
• 2 tsp Fine salt (approximately)
• 35 g Plain flour (whisked with 100 ml cool water)
• 80 g Fine vermicelli (broken)
• 3 tbsp Lemon juice
• 16 Dates (to serve, optional)

Step-by-step method

1. Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium. Cook onion and celery with a pinch of salt for 8 to 10 minutes until soft but not browned.
2. Add garlic, fresh ginger, turmeric, ground ginger, cinnamon and pepper and stir for 45 seconds, loosening with a spoonful of water if spices catch.
3. Add tomatoes, lentils, hot stock and half the herbs. Bring to a boil, skim any foam, then partly cover and simmer for 30 to 35 minutes until lentils are tender.
4. Add chickpeas and simmer 5 minutes. Check the lentils before thickening; flour will slow further softening if they are still firm.
5. Whisk the flour slurry again and pour it in slowly while stirring. Add vermicelli and simmer uncovered for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until pasta is tender and broth lightly silky.
6. Add salt gradually and thin with hot water if the soup becomes thicker than pouring cream. The vermicelli continues absorbing liquid after cooking.
7. Turn off heat, stir in lemon juice and remaining herbs, and rest 3 minutes. Serve hot with lemon and optional dates, taking care because the thick soup retains heat.