Recipe for Harira my way (beef, lentils, barley, and chickpeas)

Start by grating the onion and sautéing it in olive oil with the beef that you will have cut into very small pieces. Add all the spices and stir well to coat the meat thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper.

Cover with tomato puree and water, enough to fully submerge the meat, and add the stock cube. Add half of the red lentils, as they will dissolve into the soup. Chop the parsley and cilantro, reserve a few tablespoons for garnishing your bowls, and add the rest to the soup.

Let it cook over low heat for about 1 hour. Add the pearl barley, stir well until it returns to a boil. Let it cook for about 20 minutes, then add the remaining red lentils and the rinsed and drained chickpeas (if you choose the jar option, otherwise they should be added after 30 minutes of cooking the soup). Let your soup cook for another twenty minutes. The meat should be well cooked and tender.

Adjust the consistency of your soup with the starch and water mixture: it should be thick but not too dense. Do it to your taste, adjusting the amount as needed according to the amount of water used beforehand.

Serve very hot with some fresh herbs on top of the soup.

To conclude, this soup is a meal in itself: it is nourishing, rich in plant-based proteins, and since it hasn't been very warm this year in July, it's a joy in a bowl.