Middle Eastern Garbanzo Soup Recipes

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until the onions begin to turn translucent; lower heat if browning starts to occur. Add spices and saute a minute or so. Add tomatoes, chickpeas, broth, and sugar. Season with a couple pinches of salt and 10 grinds fresh pepper. Stir well. Chickpeas should be just covered with liquid. If level is shy, add some water so the chickpeas are just covered.
• Bring to a simmer, then lower heat to low and gently simmer for 45 minutes.
• Remove soup from heat. Use a potato masher to mash up some of the chickpeas right in the pot. Stir in the spinach and let heat through until wilted, just a couple minutes.
• Season again, to taste, with salt and pepper.
• Serve soup, drizzled lightly with extra-virgin olive oil, if desired.

Steps:

• Saute 3 tablespoons olive oil, onion, carrot, celery, fennel, 3 cloves minced garlic, cumin seed, thyme, red pepper, and bay leaf over medium heat for about 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
• While vegetables are sauteeing, puree 5 cups garbanzos with vegetable broth (but leave a slightly coarse texture).
• To sauteed vegetables, add garbanzo stock (or water), pureed beans, whole beans, diced tomatoes, potato, coriander, and ground mustard. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes. STIR FREQUENTLY because the bean solids tend to settle and will stick and burn.
• Meanwhile, saute zucchini, smashed garlic clove, a pinch of salt, and mustard seeds in remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium high heat, until zucchini is lightly browned but still crisp-tender.
• Before removing zucchini from heat, add lemon juice and cook until juice is evaporated.
• Add zucchini and red wine vinegar to soup. Simmer another five minutes. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and set aside.
• Heat oil and butter over medium heat in a large pot until hot and melted.
• Add onion and cook for 20 minutes, until tender.
• Stir in garlic, salt, cumin, coriander, allspice and pepper and cook 1 more minute.
• Add tomatoes and beans and heat to boiling over medium high heat.
• Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add pasta and cook until heated through.
• Toss with parsley before serving, if desired.

Steps:

• To make the matzo balls, puree the onions in a food processor. Transfer to a large bowl, and whisk in the egg, garlic, cardamom, turmeric, oil, 2 teaspoons salt, and several grinds of pepper. Mix in the chickpea flour and chicken to form a thick paste. Cover and store the dough in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or up to 24 hours, to firm up.
• Wet your hands with cold water and break off walnut-size pieces of the dough. Roll them into smooth balls, to make a total of 30 balls.
• In a large stockpot, bring the 12 cups stock and 2 teaspoons sea salt to a rapid boil. Carefully drop the dumplings into the stock. Turn down the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 50 minutes without opening the pot. When ready, the gondi will be firm in the center. Remove them with a slotted spoon. The cooking stock can be strained and used for the soup broth, or reserved for another use.
• In a second stockpot, combine the 8 cups stock, carrot, and chickpeas and bring to a boil. Pierce the limes several times with a fork and add them to the stock along with their soaking water. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Add the herbs and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the lemon juice just before serving. Divide the gondi among soup bowls, ladle the broth over the top, and serve.