North African Soup

Total Time: 2 hrs 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1 lb lamb or 1 lb mutton, cut into small chunks
• 2 tablespoons clarified butter
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
• 3 teaspoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• 1 small cinnamon stick
• 4 saffron threads, crumbled
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• salt, to taste
• freshly group black pepper, to taste
• 3 1/2 quarts cold water
• 2 cups dried garbanzo beans, soaked overnight and drained
• 2 1/2 cups brown lentils
• 2 lbs firm-ripe fresh tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup short-grain rice
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Recipe

• 1 combine the lamb, butter, onions, celery, 1-1/2 teaspoons of the parsley, 1-1/2 teaspoons of the cilantro, cinnamon, saffron and ginger in a large soup pot. season with salt and pepper. stir over medium heat until the butter has melted.
• 2 pour in 4 cups of the cold water. bring to a boil and simmer for 25 - 30 minutes, or until reduced by half.
• 3 stir in the garbanzo beans and lentils and the remaining water. simmer over medium heat until the lentils and beans are tender, about 75 minutes.
• 4 stir in the tomatoes and the remaining 1-1/2 teaspoons parsley and 1-1/2 teaspoons cilantro. bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
• 5 add the rice.
• 6 mix the flour to a smooth paste with a little cold water in a small bowl.
• 7 remove the soup from the heat and add the flour mixture, stirring constantly.
• 8 return to the heat and cook for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. the soup should not be too thick.
• 9 stir in the lemon juice and serve hot.