Vegetarian Harira

It is starting to get colder in the upper northern hemisphere.  It is the perfect time for some comforting, hearty soups.  Just imagine yourself after a hard day of work or shoveling snow and coming inside to a piping hot bowl of soup, a hot cocoa or tea, a roaring fire, and your favorite critter snuggled in a warm blanket. 

Vegetarian Harira

4 cups garbanzo beans
2 cups vegetable stock
6 cups water
2 large bunches fresh cilantro, chopped
2 large bunches fresh Italian parsley, chopped
3 bunches fresh mint, chopped
1 pound pumpkin, cut and seeded
1 pound zucchini, cut and seeded
2 ½ pounds tomatoes, chopped

4 tablespoons olive oil
4 mild onions, chopped
2 teaspoons turmeric
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons sea salt
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/3 cup cold water
4 lemons, juiced

2 limes, juiced

1.  Put the garbanzo beans in a large pan with the vegetable stock and water.

2.  Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 1 hour, until the garbanzo beans are soft.

3.  Add the cubed pumpkin, zucchini and tomato to the stock and simmer.

4.  Heat some oil in a pan and sweat off the onions and spices (turmeric, cinnamon,

     cumin, pepper, and ginger) for 8 minutes.

5.  Add more oil and simmer the mix, add the flour and simmer for 2 minutes.

6.  Add 2-3 ladles of soup broth into the spicy onion pan, stirring constantly, which will

     help thicken the soup.

7.  Add the onion mix back into the pan of stock and vegetables, stirring gently for 2-3

     minutes to get rid of the "floury" taste.

8.  Add the fresh lemon and lime juice and the chopped fresh herbs and season well.

9.  Serve hot.  

10. Garnish with minced cilantro, Italian parsley, and/or mint.