Recipe of Tunisian Chickpea Soup

Ingredients

• 2 cans (15 oz each) of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 4 slices of day-old crusty bread
• 4 eggs
• Kalamata olives for garnish
• Fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped, for garnish

Directions

1. 1

   In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for a minute or until fragrant.

2. 2

   Stir in the ground cumin, ground coriander, and cayenne pepper. Cook for another minute, allowing the spices to bloom.

3. 3

   Add the drained chickpeas to the pot and mix well with the spices. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. 4

   Pour in the vegetable broth and bring the mixture to a simmer. Allow it to cook for 10-15 minutes, letting the flavors meld together.

5. 5

   While the soup is simmering, toast the slices of crusty bread until they are crisp. Set them aside.

6. 6

   In a separate pot, boil the eggs to your desired level of doneness (typically, they're hard-boiled for Lablabi). Once boiled, peel and set them aside.

7. 7

   Season the chickpea soup with salt and black pepper, adjusting to taste. Squeeze in the lemon juice and mix well.

8. 8

   To serve, place a slice of toasted bread in each serving bowl. Ladle the chickpea soup over the bread.

9. 9

   Top each bowl with a hard-boiled egg, a handful of Kalamata olives, and a sprinkle of chopped cilantro or parsley.

10. 10

    Serve hot and enjoy your delicious Lablabi! You can customize the level of spiciness with more cayenne or by serving with harissa sauce on the side.