Harira

This is the first thing I made in bulk so that I could pack a couple of portions on our first 2-night trip to the coast of Washington in Pernell. Harira is the national dish of Morocco and is a traditional fast-breaking meal during Ramadan. It is vegan and delicious, rich with spices including saffron and cinnamon. It was the perfect meal on a cool evening spent among the redwoods.

This version is straight out of Martha Stewart’s Slow Cooker book. It turned out perfect and I wouldn’t change a thing. It freezes and reheats well, so don’t be shy about making such a large batch. 

Serves 8.

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried chickpeas, soaked over night or prepared using the quick soak method described below.
• 2 tablespoons olive oil.
• 1 large onion, diced.
• 3 cloves garlic, minced.
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger.
• 2 teaspoons ground turmeric. 
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin. 
• salt and pepper. 
• ½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper or cayenne. 
• pinch of saffron.
• 1 cinnamon stick.
• 1 – 28 oz (800g/ml) can of crushed tomatoes.
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro.
• 1 cup French green lentils.
• 1 cup red lentils.
• 8 cups boiling water.

Method

1. Preheat 5-6 quart slow cooker.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high.
3. Add onion and cook until golden, about 10 minutes.
4. Add garlic, ginger, turmeric, cumin, 1 teaspoon black pepper, Aleppo or cayenne, saffron and cinnamon. Cook 2 minutes until fragrant.
5. Add tomatoes and cilantro, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
6. Transfer mixture to the slow cooker.
7. Add chickpeas, green and red lentils.
8. Stir in the boiling water.
9. Add 1 teaspoon salt.
10. Cover and cook on high until chickpeas are tender, about 2½ hours.
11. Season with more fresh cilantro, salt and pepper.
12. Serve with your favorite flat bread.

NOTE: To quick soak chickpeas, place them in a large pot and cover with plenty of water. Bring to a boil and turn off the heat. Cover with a lid and let stand for 1 hour. Drain. You can save the soaking liquid for future projects such as homemade hummus.