bidaouia harira

Ingredients for 12 people:

* Takes 2 1/2 hours to prepare in two different parts:

* 1) the stock * 2) the tbdouira. * 1) the stock (tka faa)- * 1 1/2 hours cooking time (approx.)

* 4 litres (7 pts) of water * 1 bowl of chick-peas soaked overnight and skinned the next morning.

* 250 g (9 oz) of diced mutton or beef * 1 finely chopped celery heart * 1 bunch of hopped coriander (kasbour)

* 1/2 teaspoonful of cinnamon * 1 piece of butter the size of a walnut * 1 chopped onion

* 1 small bunch of parsley (chopped) * 4 whole onions * 1 kg (2 lbs 3 oz) of tomato pulp

* 1/2 teaspoonful of saffron (mixed prepared packaged saffron and crushed saffron flowers)

* 1 heaped teaspoonful of pepper salt * 3 or 4 bones with a little meat on them.

Put all these ingredients to cook in a covered saucepan. Bring to the boil, lower the heat and leave to simmer gently. Take out the whole Onions as soon as they are cooked. After about 50 to 60 minutes, check if the meat is done and, if so, take off the heat.

* 2) Tedouira: I hours cooking time (approx) * 1 kg (2 lbs 3 oz) of tomatoes cut in quarters and passed through a vegetable sieve

* 1 bunch of coriander (kasbour) juice of 3 lemons * 1 whole egg * 1/2 teaglassful of vermicelli

* 1/2 teaglassful of noodles * 200 g (7 oz) of flour salt.

Preparation: 

Put the sieved tomatoes in a saucepan, add the stock leaving the meat, kidney-beans, onions, etc., in the saucepan in which they were cooked. Leave the tomato juice to boil for a quarter of an hour.Tako off the heat for a few minutes. Mix the flour with water and pour little by little into the stock, stirring briskly to avoid lumps. Put back over the heat and continue stirring gently.Bring to the boil, add the noodles and vermicelli.

bring back to boiling and then lower the heat. Then take the coriander off the stalks, wash and pour in a mortar (mahraz)  with enough salt for the seasoning. Pour into the saucepan, stirring gently with a ladle. Add the lemon juice, the rest of the stock (Tédouira), the beaten egg, stir and check the seasoning. Bring to the boil and remove from the heat.