Units Scale

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound lamb, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons minced ginger
28 ounce can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 teaspoons freshly-ground cumin
1 teaspoon freshly-ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon ras-el-hanout (strongly preferred) or use Ceylon Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon finely-ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon finely-ground caraway seed
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced preserved lemon
2 teaspoons harissa or to taste
8 cups beef or lamb broth
3/4 cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight then rinsed and drained (or 1 15 ounce can, drained)
3/4 cup dried French Le Puy lentils (they hold their shape and texture better than regular brown lentils)
1/4 cup broken up vermicelli pasta, or try orzo pasta or long-grain rice
1/3 cup sliced Green Olives, drained and sliced
1/3 cup sliced Black Olives, drained and sliced
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
3 tablespoons chopped fresh celery leaves
Lemon wedges for serving

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Heat the oil in a pot over medium high heat and brown the lamb. Transfer the lamb to a plate and set aside. (Leave the browned bits in the pot, those are going to give the harira tremendous flavor.)
Add the onions and cook until soft and translucent and they turn golden, 6-8 minutes. Add the celery, garlic and ginger and cook for another two minutes. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, spices, preserved lemon and harissa and let the mixture simmer for a couple of minutes.
Return the meat to the pot with the chickpeas and lentils. Add the broth, bring to a boil, cover and simmer over low heat for one hour. Add the pasta (or orzo or rice), cover and continue to simmer for another 30 minutes.
Stir in the olives, cilantro and parsley and simmer for another 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste and more harissa if you prefer it spicier.
Garnish with the chopped fresh herbs.