Chikhirtma Fresh Coriander Onion Soup Recipes

CHIKHIRTMA (FRESH CORIANDER-ONION SOUP)

Steps:

• Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter or margarine in a pan, and stir-fry the onions for several minutes until golden. Add the water and cilantro and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Mix the flour with the hot stock and vinegar. Add to the soup. Add in the cinnamon, salt and pepper. Simmer on low heat for about 15 minutes.
• Take pot off heat, remove and discard the cilantro sprigs. Take out about 1/2 cup of the soup, allow to cool.
• Beat the eggs lightly with the 1/2 cup of slightly cooled broth, return it to the pot with the remaining butter or margarine. Stir in the dill, parsley ad lemon juice. Serve immediately.

HAJAR'S OWN HARIRA -- THE NATIONAL SOUP OF MOROCCO

Steps:

• Rinse and pick over fava beans if you can't get these then use dried broad/lima/butter beans and chickpeas. Soak overnight in water to cover. Quick soak method; place beans in large soup pot and add 2 litres hot water. Bring water to a rolling boil for 5 minutes. Turn off heat and soak beans for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Squeeze each fava bean and chickpea between your thumb and first two fingers to remove skins. Set aside.
• In large soup pot over medium heat, cook the onions and meat (chicken can be used as well as beef or no meat at all though NEVER pork) stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and translucent.
• Add turmeric, ginger, paprika and 2 litres water. Cover and bring to rolling boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, add fava beans, chickpeas and cook, covered, until beans are tender. 1 to 1 1/2 hours depending on your beans.
• Finely chop together tomatoes, parsley and cilantro. Add this mixture along with the tomato paste, the lentils, pepper, juice of the lemon and drop in 1/2 of the squeezed lemon and salt to taste. Cover and cook until lentils are tender 20 to 25 minutes.
• Bring back to the boil and make a fairly thick slurry (flour and water) with the 1/2 cup of flour. Add this to the boiling soup stirring very briskly to avoid lumps. Boil one minute stirring constantly. Add nutmeg and caraway. Bring the soup to medium heat, you just want a nice slow bubbling.
• Add pasta (orzo or small soup pasta can be used as well though I always prefer vermicelli) and cook until soft. Taste and add salt to taste and adjust pepper. When soup is heated through, ladle harira into individual soup bowls. Serve immediately with lemon wedges, Moroccan flat bread ("My Rough Khoubz works well) or crusty french baguette. This soup should be velvety, not overly thick.
• Prep time does not include soaking the beans.
• NB: Harira is eaten all year, not only at Ramadan. In Morocco the nutmeg is ground to a powder which is darker and very pungent. If you cannot find or do your nutmeg this way, then I recommend that you purchase the freshest nutmeg that you can find.

FRESH CORIANDER SOUP (SOPA DE COENTRO)

Steps:

• In a large heavy saucepan, sauté the onions and garlic in 3 tablespoons of olive oil for about five minutes.
• Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and the potatoes and stir fry for another minute.
• Add the broth, cover and simmer for about 45 minutes or until the potatoes are mushy.
• Remove from the heat and puree the soup, using an immersion blender.
• Now stir in salt and pepper and the coriander (cilantro), cover, and refrigerate for 24 hours.
• After 24 hours, the soup is ready to be served cold, or, once you have gently heated it over moderate heat, it can be served hot.