Tunisian Garlic Chickpea Soup #SundaySupper

While the weather is definitely starting to warm up (albeit slowly!), around here we're still in the throes of ever variable climate conditions day to day. This past week, for example, I went from wearing a fuzzy winter jacket, mittens and hat to a light sweater and back to a spring coat - and inside vs. outside temperature is even more variable due to the heating / cooling systems in different buildings.

Even if it was consistently hot and sunny outside, it's almost guaranteed that soup will play a role in our weekly menu at home. For me, it's often a quick-fix dinner after a full day of work or a busy weekend of lesson planning or prep work. My mom, though, savours the pleasure of a warm potage at lunch (with homemade bread, of course!), and is as eager to travel the world via tasting as I am through cooking. Soup is perfect for taming even the most savage of beasts (hunger or otherwise), and I love this one in particular because it's a filling, protein and fibre-rich, flavourful blend with a built-in antibacterial forcefield from the hefty doses of herbs, spices and garlic!

While the ingredient list seems long, a lot of it is spices that are fairly commonplace. The starch I chose - sorghum - is one of my favourites in the flour world, and when I found a bag of the raw grain at my local Asian grocery I snapped it up and fell in love. The slightly sweet, buttery, nutty flavour the sorghum has pairs perfectly with the mellowed garlic and onions, while its texture reminds me of Israeli couscous or tapioca. That said, brown rice (especially a short grain variety) would play just as well here and regardless the whole thing is basically an excuse to eat a bowl of hummus for dinner!
 

#SundaySupper is focused on "Spice is Nice & Some Like it Hot" this week - if you love spicy food of any kind (not just the "hot" spices), this event is one to check out! This week's host is Sarah of The Chef Next Door

Aromatic Appetizers

• Buffalo Chicken Spring Rolls by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Cajun Shrimp Dip by Cooking with Carlee
• Harissa Lamb Meatballs with Herbed Yogurt Dipping Sauce by The Hungry Goddess
• Jalapeno Cheddar Roasted Chickpeas by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Smoky Jalapeno Pineapple Salsa by Dash of Evans
• Spicy Apricot Chicken Meatballs by My Life Cookbook
• Spicy Jalapeno Chickpeas by Helpful Homemade
• Hot Peach Wings by Eat, Drink and be Tracy
• Spicy Sugared Cashews by That Skinny Chick Can Bake

 

Distinctive Drinks

• Cilantro Jalapeno Mojito by Manu's Menu
• Shoo Fly Punch with a Kick by Our Good Life

 

Daring Desserts

• Chipotle Peanut Butter Cookies by Renee’s Kitchen Adventures
• Cinnamon Rolls by The Freshman Cook
• Mexican Chocolate Pudding by Pies and Plots
• Peppercorn Shortbread by The Finer Cookie
• Spicy Fudge Brownies by The Chef Next Door
• Spicy Mexican Hot Chocolate Fudge by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks

 

Masterful Mains

• Buffalo Chicken & Lentil Stuffed Peppers by Momma’s Meals
• Chicken Karahi (Pakistani Chicken Curry) by Curious Cuisiniere
• Chicken Stuffed Poblano Peppers by Feeding Big and more
• Chickpea, lentil and spinach curry by Caroline’s Cooking
• Devil’s Chicken by Monica’s Table
• East Indian Chard and Lentils by Wholistic Woman
• Fried Chicken with a Kick by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Grilled Chipotle Pork Chops by Cooking Chat
• Hella-peno Burger by Fantastical Sharing of Recipes
• Jalapeno Popper Pizza by Hardly A Goddess
• Kung Pao Chicken by Palatable Pastime
• Lomo Saltado by Tramplingrose
• Spicy black bean burgers by Simple and Savory
• Spicy Penne all’arrabbiata by She Loves Biscotti
• Sweet & Spicy Pulled Pork Tacos by Grumpy’s Honeybunch
• Sweet Chili Pork by Cookin’ Mimi
• Tunisian Garlic Chickpea Soup by What Smells So Good?

 

Seasoned Sides

• Baked Sriracha Sweet Potato Fries by Magnolia Days
• Easy to Make Cabbage Kimchi (Mak Kimchi) by kimchi MOM
• Green Mango Sambal by Food Lust People Love
• Grilled Potato Salad with Spicy Picada Sauce by Culinary Adventures with Camilla

Plus Homemade Ginger Ale and Spice is Nice Recipes from Sunday Supper Movement

 

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board. Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

Tunisian Garlic Chickpea Soup
Makes 10 servings
2 tbsp garlic-infused olive oil
1 large, sweet onion, diced
5 stalks celery, diced
3 carrots, diced
25 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
2 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp coriander
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
¼ tsp turmeric
¾ tsp paprika
½ tsp red pepper flakes
Zest of 2 Meyer or 1 regular lemon
7 cups vegetable broth
½ cup sorghum grain or short-grain brown rice
1 (19 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3 tbsp Meyer lemon juice (or 2 tbsp regular lemon juice)
⅓ cup chopped parsley
2 tbsp minced lemon thyme (or regular thyme + ½ tbsp extra lemon zest)

1. In a heavy saucepan, heat the garlic oil over medium until shimmering.
2. Stir in the onion, celery and carrots. Sauté for 8-10 minutes, until onion is beginning to turn golden.
3. Add the garlic and spices. Cook 2 minutes longer, until fragrant.
4. Add the broth, sorghum (or rice) and chickpeas and simmer for 45 minutes.
5. With an immersion blender, partially puree the soup, leaving some whole chickpeas and vegetables (alternatively, remove 2 cups of the soup and puree, then return to the pot).
6. Stir in lemon juice, parsley and lemon thyme (or thyme / zest combination). Serve.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 151.5
Total Fat: 4.2 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 379.2 mg
Total Carbs: 26.5 g
Dietary Fiber: 5.5 g
Protein: 5.3 g