Leblebi Soup

Ingredients

• 2 tbspolive oil
• 1onion, medium, finely diced
• 1 1/4 cupschickpeas, dried; soaked overnight
• 6 1/4 cupsvegetable stock
• 1 tspcumin seeds, toasted then ground
• 5 clovegarlic
• 1/2 tspsalt, plus more to taste
• 1 tspharissa
• black pepper
• 1/2lime, juice only; or use lemon

Method

1. 1

   Warm the olive oil in a large pot and cook the onion until it turns translucent and sweet, without letting it brown.

2. 2

   Drain the soaked chickpeas, add them to the pot with the vegetable stock and bring it to the boil. Lower the heat, cover the pot and leave it at a simmer for 30 minutes.

3. 3

   While that goes, toast the cumin seeds in a small dry pan until they smell nutty, then grind them in a mortar.

4. 4

   Add the garlic and the salt to the ground cumin and pound the lot into a smooth paste.

5. 5

   Stir the paste and the harissa into the soup and keep it simmering for another 30 minutes or so, until the chickpeas have gone completely soft.

6. 6

   Season with salt, black pepper and the lime juice, and serve it hot.