Moroccan Soup

1/2 pound lamb, cubed
2-3 cups cooked garbanzo beans
1 cup brown lentils, washed
and picked over
½ to 1 cup long grain rice, washed
like basmati
1-2 large onions, chopped—save
some for the garnish
2 carrots, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2-3 shakes cayenne
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 16-oz cans salt-free tomatoes, drained
2 heaping Tablespoons salt-free tomato
paste
1 bunch fresh cilantro chopped with
some stem save some
for garnish
1/2 bunch flat leaf parsley,
chopped
4-6 cups vegetable or chicken
stock
Or
2-3 cups dry white wine
And
2-3 cups water
2-4 Tablespoons olive oil

Sauté the onions in the olive oil over medium flame
until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots and
garlic. Stir well and add more oil if needed. Add dry
spices, turn down heat, and stir constantly to be sure
not to burn spices. Cook for 3 or 4 more minutes
until spices lose their raw aroma.
Add garbanzos and stock or wine/water to cover.
Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
Add lentils, rice, tomatoes and tomato paste. Check
liquid level to be sure to have an inch of liquid over
the beans. Bring to a boil and simmer another 30
min.
Add cilantro and parsley and check for seasonings—
salt and cayenne.
Garnish with chopped raw onion if desired
The fresh herbs fade, but this tastes really good
reheated. You might want to add some summer
squash or sweet red pepper if you want to boost the
vegetables. Don't be afraid to lessen the seasonings-
I like is spicy.
This soup just gets better and better in the fridge.
I've adapted this soup from a recipe for a traditional
Ramadan meal, which would include the lamb and
wouldn't include the garlic or the wine! For a
vegetarian version, omit the lamb.
Hypo tip-I buy a box of wine at the outset of the
low-iodine diet and use it instead of stock when
cooking my beans and stir-frying. It is easier than
trying to use corkscrew when hypo. I've never
managed to make stock.