Vegetarian Moroccan Haraira

Today for Gurukula lunch we made this recipe, which we adapted from  Kitty Morse - The Vegetarian Table
Serving Size : 8

2 tablespoons olive oil 

 2 Roma tomatoes

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

8 threads Spanish saffron--crushed

20 sprigs fresh cilantro

10 sprigs parsley, flat leaf

salt--to taste

black pepper--freshly ground

1 cup red lentils--rinsed & picked over

8 cups water

1 ½ cups garbanzo beans--cooked, with liquid

1 ½ cups fava beans--cooked, with liquid

½ cup gluten free rice angel hair  

lemon wedges--as desired/garnish

In a blender or food processor, combine the tomatoes, ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, saffron, cilantro, parsley, salt, and pepper.
Puree the mixture, in batches if necessary, until fairly smooth.
  In  a soup pot,  heat the oil, add the pureed mixture and bring to a boil.

Add the lentils and water.
Cover tightly and reduce heat to low.
Simmer the soup until the lentils are tender, 30 to 35 minutes.
Add the undrained garbanzo beans and the favas and bring the soup back to a low boil.
Add the pasta and cook until tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with lemon wedges.

We selected this recipe in our women's health section as it is high in folate for pregnant and nursing women. We also learned that fava beans are among the oldest legume cultivars going back 5,000 years. As well as having  the  typical  health benefits of legumes, they also are a good source of l-dopa, a dopamine precursor and are being investigated as a medicine for Parkinson's. Since l-dopa also increases HGH production, fava beans are an important rejuvenative food for elders. To overcome the gas-forming and vata aggravating  properties of fava beans, a recipe such as this is suitable. It is warm, moist and soupy and employs vata soothing digestive spices such as ginger, turmeric, saffron, cinnamon and cumin.
You can get fava beans at Middle Eastern markets. 
Try it and enjoy!