Harira (Moroccan Chickpea Soup)

Put the chickpeas, onion, olive oil, parsley, saffron and cinnamon into a large, heavy saucepan. Mix well, and heat for about 4 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add the 5 pints of water, stir, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for about an hour, or until the chickpeas are cooked. Please note that chickpeas seem to vary wildly in their cooking times, so do keep an eye on it!

Add the rice, return to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the rice is cooked (10-15 minutes for the sort of rice I use).

When the rice is just cooked, beat the flour and 6 fl oz water into a smooth paste and stir it into the soup.

Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for a further 15 minutes.

Remove the soup from the heat, add the lemon juice, then season to taste with salt and pepper. If the soup is too thick for your liking, you can add more boiling water to thin it down a bit.

Stir in the lightly beaten eggs, and allow to stand for a few minutes until the eggs are cooked. Serve hot.