As Ramadan kicks off this week, families across Morocco will be tucking into the same dish—harira soup.

“Ninety-nine percent of Moroccans eat harira every day during the 29 or 30 days of Ramadan,” says Taoufik Ghaffouli, the general manager of La Maison Arabe, Marrakech’s legendary restaurant and hotel. The silky tomato soup loaded with legumes, fresh herbs, and spices is served literally every evening as part of the fast-breaking meal known as iftar.

First, a little background. Ramadan is celebrated in the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. It moves ahead slightly each year, and this year runs June 18th through July 17th. It’s an important and festive time when consumption of food and drink are forbidden between sunrise and sunset.