North African Soup Vegetarian Food

VEGETARIAN MOROCCAN HARIRA

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat and cook onion until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, chickpeas, cilantro, parsley, mint, paprika, turmeric, ginger, harissa, and saffron. Add water and cook over medium heat until flavors have combined, about 30 minutes.
• Mix a few tablespoons of soup liquid with flour and cornstarch in a small bowl and return to the soup, stirring in well. Add cherry tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer over low heat until soup thickens, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

NORTH AFRICAN SOUP (VEGETARIAN)

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven type pan over medium heat. Fry the onions until tender in the olive oil.
• Stir in the paprika. Add about 1 cup water to prevent onions and paprika from burning.
• Add carrots, garlic, tomato paste, tomatoes, cilantro (or parsley), turmeric and cinnamon and more water to cover.
• Simmer until the carrots begin to get slightly tender; add the potatoes and more water, if necessary, to cover. Simmer for about 1/2 hour.
• Add garbanzo beans and lemon juice. Adjust the amount of broth by adding more water if necessary. Simmer until beans are heated through.
• Adjust flavor by adding salt and pepper, if needed.
• Divide between 2 large bowls and garnish with cilantro or parsley.

VEGETARIAN WEST AFRICAN SOUP

Steps:

• To make peanut butter, process peanuts in food processor about 2 minutes until smooth, scraping the bowl at least once.
• In a Dutch oven over medium heat, sauté onion in oil about 7 minutes until lightly browned.
• Add peanut butter plus sweet potato through tomatoes.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, about 30 minutes until sweet potato is tender.
• Serve garnished with parsley.

NORTH AFRICAN BEAN AND SQUASH SOUP

Steps:

• Drain the soaked chick peas and set aside. Tie half the cilantro sprigs into a bundle with the dried red chili, and chop the rest. Set aside the chopped cilantro.
• Heat the oil in a large bean pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and add the onions and carrots. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes, and add 1/2 teaspoon salt, the garlic, paprika, and turmeric. Stir together for about a minute, until fragrant, and add the tomatoes, and their juice. Cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes, until the tomatoes have cooked down somewhat and the mixture is fragrant. Add the beans and water and bring to a boil. Add the cilantro bundle, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 1 hour. Add the squash, a generous amount of salt, and the harissa or cayenne, and continue to simmer for another hour. Taste and adjust salt. Add the vermicelli and simmer until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove the cilantro bundle. Stir in the remaining cilantro and the mint, adjust salt and serve. Garnish with lemon wedges.