Harira - Moroccan Soup

This hearty and fragrant seasoned soup contain lamb with bones, lentil (chickpeas, red lentils) celery, tomato, parsley, cilantro and spices like cinnamon, turmeric and broken vermicelli. In Morocco, this soup is frequently served during the month of Ramadan to break the fast at sunset. 

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb lamb with bones (remove meat from bones)
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tblsp ginger garlic paste
1 tblsp harissa paste (or to taste)
2 Tbsp butter or ghee
3/4 cup chopped celery
1 red onion, chopped
a handful chopped fresh cilantro and parsley
1 1/2 cup diced tomatoes( skinned and seeded)
4 cups cups water
1/2 cup red lentils (soak overnight)
1/2 cup chickpea (soak overnight)
1/4 cup vermicelli broken noodles
1 lemon, juiced 

1 tsp ground cinnamon

Method

Mix lamb meat and bones with ginger garlic paste and a little salt. Heat some oil and butter in the pan, add the meat and brown them. Add the ground spices, butter, celery, onion, and parsley and cilantro into stir for 3 to 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and simmer on medium heat for 15 minutes.

Add the chickpea and red lentils and add the 4 cups of water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer. Let soup simmer, covered, for at least 1 1/2 hours. Season soup with salt and pepper and harissa. Before serving add the vermicelli noodles. Do not overcook the noodles. Ladle the soup into bowls, sprinkle with cinnamon, and garnish with cilantro leaves and a slice of lemon.