Country Profile

Capital: Djibouti

Population: 942,000

Area: 23,200 sq km (8,950 sq miles)

Languages: French, Arabic, Somali, Afar

Religion: Islam

Life expectancy: 61 years (men), 64 years (women)

Currency: Djiboutian franc

President: Ismail Omar Guelleh

The Dish of the Week

Harira

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp oil

• 12 oz stewing beef, cubed

• 1 onion, chopped

• 1 bunch parsley, chopped

• 1 bunch cilantro, chopped

• 2 celery stalks, chopped

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

• salt & peppers to taste

• 2 liters sparkling water

• 2/3 cup brown dried lentils, rinsed

• 1 cup canned chickpeas, drained

• 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes

• 1/2 cup tomato paste

• 1/2 cup flour

• 4 oz angel hair pasta

• 2 lemons, quartered.

• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

Instructions

Heat oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the meat, onion, parsley, cilantro, celery, cumin, saffron and salt and pepper. Cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the sparkling water, bring temperature down to medium-low and cook for 10 minutes.

Add the lentils and chickpeas and simmer on low, uncovered, for 50 minutes.

Stir in the diced tomatoes and tomato paste and cook for 20 minutes.

Sift the flour into a medium bowl and add 2 cups of cold water. Whisk well and stir into the soup.

Add the angel hair pasta and cook for 10 minutes.

Serve hot with lemon quarters. Squeeze lemon juice to taste before eating.

Stacie’s Rating 7 out of 10

“This soup was very good! I would definitely make it again! It tastes similar to vegetable soup, just with some beef, but you could leave the beef out and it would still be very good! I would probably add more seasoning if I made it again, and maybe a little less cilantro.”

Jeremiah’s Rating 9 out of 10

“I like everything about it. I only gave it a nine because I, being the avid meat eater that I am, could have used more beef in the soup”.