Chickpea Soup
The Chickpea, also known as the Garbanzo bean, is the star of this recipe. This legume is one that really brings back fond memories from my youth in Morocco. My father’s family raises various crops on their land in the Middle Atlas Mountain region of Morocco. Every year we would receive about 200 pounds of chickpeas from this land to use in our own household. My parents took pride in the different products that came from our family farming lands. Every chickpea out of the 200 pounds was used, nothing went to waste! Because of this my mother, Sekkina, had to be creative in her recipes. This legume became very popular in our kitchen and was used in meals ranging from tagines to stews, salads, soups, or even just snacks. Here I am presenting it in a simple and nutritious dish, the Chickpea Soup.
I cannot say enough about this recipe! The combination of chickpeas with onion, garlic, tomatoes, and a drizzle of olive oil is so tasty and healthy. This micronutrient dense legume also features a low glycemic index and is an excellent source of protein, fiber, iron, folic acid, phosphorus, zinc, calcium, and manganese. The low glycemic index makes it a perfect choice for a person with diabetes.
As if everything else about the chickpea isn’t enough, they also go with many dishes. Keep them in the fridge to add to a recipe or a meal, such as a salad, on the go. If you are looking for a dish that is easy and delicious, then make sure you try this one!
Heart healthy: Yes
Diabetic friendly: Yes
Low calorie: Yes
Nutrient dense: Yes
Guilt-free: Yes and yes
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients:
One and a ½ cup of dry chickpeas yields about 3 cups cooked
1/2 red onion diced, or 1 cup of diced red onion
Three medium cloves of minced garlic
Four medium ripe tomatoes diced
Two tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper or 20 grinds of pepper mill of black pepper
One teaspoon of paprika
One teaspoon of coriander powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
One tablespoon of fresh cilantro
One teaspoon of fresh ginger finely shredded
3 cups of water
Pinch of red pepper flakes if you like to add little heat!
Directions:
Please see instructions for preparing beans or legumes here. When the chickpeas are cooked move onto the next step.
To cook the rest of the ingredients, place a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and olive to the pan. Stir often for 2 to 3 minutes. Add one tablespoon of water if needed to prevent sticking. Once the onion softens or turns light pink add diced tomatoes and the following spices: salt, black pepper, ginger, turmeric, paprika, and coriander. Then add the chickpeas and three cups of water.
Let the mixture simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, often stirring until the soup becomes creamy like the picture.
Garnish with cilantro — Bon appetit.