Moroccan Chickpea Stew

Back in December, my friend and I took a trip to Whistler to commemorate the end of our first term of nursing school. Thanks to an amazing deal I found using a coupon website, livingsocial.com, we were able stay in a wonderful resort with an outdoor pool and hot tub and complimentary DVD rentals. I had a great time skiing with my friend during the day and then walking around the village in the evening.

On our last day we had already checked out of the resort and walked around while waiting for our bus back to Vancouver. For lunch, we stopped by a small cafe at the base of the mountains and each ordered a soup and sandwich. I particularly enjoyed the Moroccan lentil soup that I ordered and decided to recreate it once I got home. Due to other things going on, I wasn't able to make the soup until this past weekend, but I definitely think the results were worth the wait.

Originally I had researched recipes for Moroccan soups and came across one from Emril Lagasse for Harira, a traditional Moroccan chickpea stew with chicken and lentils. I read through both the recipe and the reviews and decided to give it a try, but in my own way. I decided to omit the chicken and rice called for in the original recipe because I felt it would make the stew to heavy and I wanted something vegetarian. I also added a few more vegetables of my own choosing to the stew and used canned chickpeas instead of dried in order to speed up the cooking time. Basically, the recipe provided a good base and showed me which spices to use, but the rest I took creative liberties with.

In the end, I was quite pleased with how the stew turned out. It definitely had a Moroccan/Lebanese taste to it which I figured out comes from the turmeric. I had always found this taste so appealing in Mediterranean cuisine but I never knew its source; now, though, I think I will try to use it in more of my dishes. My mother also recognized the scent and taste when she tried the stew and she said that she enjoyed it as well. Overall the stew was a success; I made something yummy and I discovered a new spice to play around with.

Moroccan Chickpea Stew

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2-3 stalks celery, chopped
• 2-3 carrots, chopped
• 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1 19 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups green lentils, rinsed and drained
• 6 cups (2 L) chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1/2 cup (about 1/2 bunch) cilantro, chopped
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil
• Optional: 1/4-1/2 tsp red chili flakes

1. In a large pot, saute the onion 3-4 minutes over medium heat until the onion starts to become translucent. 
2. Add the chopped celery and carrots and saute for another 5-7 minutes, or until they become soft.
3. Stir in the ginger, turmeric, and cinnamon to the vegetables and continue to cook for another minute.
4. Add the tomatoes and their juices, as well as the chili flakes if using, and mix well to incorporate everything.
5. Add the lentils and chicken stock and mix to incorporate. Bring the stew to a boil then cover and reduce the heat to a simmer.
6. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes. At this point, mix in the chickpeas and test the lentils for softness. If still crunchy, replace the lid and continue to cook for another 15 minutes, or until they soften.
7. Once the lentils are cooked, add the lemon juice and chopped cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Red Lentil, Tomato, and Coconut Soup

I find it amazing how easily the weather can change on a dime. Just this morning I looked out the window and could see the clouds scattered all over the sky, bringing intermittent showers all day. However at about 4 o'clock the clouds disappeared and the sun came out in full force. Then in the evening the clouds returned and the rain came with them. Luckily we were having dinner during the brief sunny period and I managed to snap a nice photo of the soup that I made.

The inspiration for the soup came from my family's new found love of coconut milk, especially my mom. After my success with the Thai Tom Kah Gai Soup I wanted to try using the coconut milk again in another soup. Once again, tastespotting.com was my starting point and I browsed through many coconutty recipes before settling on one using red lentils. Although I didn't actually follow the recipe and used my own spices I liked the idea of using red lentils because they're quick and easy to cook.

When I tasted the soup I enjoyed it but I couldn't easily detect the coconut flavor over that of the lentils. The coconut milk added a certain creaminess but to me it just tasted like a yummy lentil soup. My mom, however, said that she could definitely taste the coconut and it added what she refers to as "Thai style" to the soup. I guess her palette is more refined than my own and she can detect subtleties in flavor. Even though I couldn't taste the coconut I still loved the soup and the rest of the family seemed to appreciate it as well.

Red Lentil, Tomato, and Coconut Soup

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1 12 oz (400 mL) can coconut milk
• 6 cups (2 L) chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 cups red lentils, rinsed and drained
• 1 lemon
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional: 1/4-1/2 tsp red chili flakes

1. In a large pot, saute the onion and garlic for 3-4 minutes over medium heat until the onion starts to become translucent.
2. Add the ground cumin, coriander, and chili flakes, if using, and stir through.
3. Add the tomatoes with their juices, coconut milk, stock, and lentils and bring the soup to a boil.
4. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 25-30 minutes until the lentils are soft and mushy. Keep the pot partially covered and stir the soup occasionally.
5. Using a blender, puree the soup in batches then return to the pot. Add some lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to your liking.

Red Lentil Soup

It's official...my family has gone lentil crazy. My parents went to the health food store last weekend and bought what seemed to me like a year's supply of lentils. Afterward, they followed their successful purchase with a trip to IKEA to buy storage containers for our now gigantic collection. I may be exaggerating the amount of lentils currently in our house...but not by much. In truth, I'm happy that they bought all of those lentils because I really enjoy the taste and it is a very healthy legume packed with lots of protein.

My first attempt at cooking the lentils came in the form of red lentil soup. Red lentils are quite soft and therefore become mushy when cooked; this makes them ideal for soups. Unfortunately, their mushy quality tends to result in a thick stew more often than a liquid soup. However I was determined to make my soup "soupy". I think that I achieved my goal pretty well; the soup was definitely chunky, but not too thick and stew like. It still had a lot of liquid in the end and that made me happy.

The soup was so well received by my family that it caught me off guard. I have only recently started making soups and some of my recipes require tweaking. This time, however, everyone ate the entire soup up as soon as I made it. It makes me proud to know that my soup skills are improving.

Red Lentil Soup

• 2 cups red lentils, rinsed and drained
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2-3 carrots, finely chopped
• 2-3 ribs of celery, finely chopped
• 2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp cumin
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 L (6 cups) chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 lemon, juiced
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional: 1/4-1/2 tsp red chili flakes

1. In a large pot, saute the diced carrots, onion, garlic, and celery for 3-4 minutes over medium heat until the onion starts to become translucent.
2. Add the paprika, cumin, and chili flakes if using and cook over low heat for 6-8 minutes.
3. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for an additional minute.
4. Add the lentils and stock and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 25-30 minutes until the lentils are soft and mushy. Keep the pot partially covered and stir the soup occasionally.
6. If you like a smoother consistency, puree the soup in batches using a blender and then return to the pot. I prefer the chunky soup so I left mine as is.
7. Add lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to your liking.
8. Serve the soup with crumbled feta or a dollop of sour cream/yogurt as well as some fresh chopped herbs, such as dill or cilantro.