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This is one of my favorite lentil soups outside of one I had in Rome many years ago now. There are thousands of "Moroccan" Lentil Soup recipes out there; especially on the internet where everyone is a "Moroccan Cook" simply by using the spices used in Morocco. That is not what Moroccan cooking is about. Yes, it is the spicing but how much? How many? Which types? Just as anyone can add garlic and basil to a dish and call it Italian food, is it? I think, in fact, I know not. That it may have ingredients well known to and used in many regions of Italy does not make it authentic. I will settle for nothing less than real life authenticity when it comes to Moroccan food; or the food of any country/region. It is in the knowledge, technique, time and simplicity where one finds authenticity; not necessarily in Gourmet Magazine or from Aunt Rita who went to Morocco, or anywhere, once 45 years ago on a five day tour blitz.

2 cups chopped onions

3 cloves garlic, minced*

8 cups water

1 cup small brown or green lentils

1 cup chick peas, soaked overnight

1 cup small white beans, soaked overnight

4 tomatoes, peeled and diced

1 1/2 cups sliced carrots

1 teaspoon ground ginger

2 teaspoons sweet paprika

1 teaspoon fresh medium grind black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon vegetable oil (olive oil is neer used in Moroccan home cooking, nor in a restaurant)

In a large soup pot, stew pot or dutch oven cook the chick peas and white beans seperately until just tender. Using a smaller pot, cook the lentils for 20 minutes and drain the beans and lentils.

In the same pot, saute the onions, garlic, ginger, paprika and cumin approximately 5 minutes.

Add the water, lentils, chick peas, white beans, tomatoes, carrots, black pepper, cumin, and salt to taste. Our black pepper used in a teaspoon will impart some good spicy heat to the dish. Should your black pepper not do this then please add a bit more black pepper as we do not use cayenne here. Bring to a boil for a 5 minutes and simmer 3/4 covered 1 to 1 1/2 hours or longer, until the lentils are soft.

I have seen this recipe on the internet stating to puree some of the soup and return it to the pot. While this is a nice idea, most Moroccan homes do not have a blender and this soup is not intended to be made as such.

* Omit the garlic if using for Ramadan as Morocco forbids the use of garlic during Ramadan while other countries may not. c.\2005