Moroccan Chickpea and Vermicelli Soup

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare your ingredients before starting to cook: finely dice 150 g yellow onion and mince 15 g garlic cloves. Place 120 g brown lentils in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse thoroughly under cold running water until the water runs clear. Set a deep soup pot on the stove and set out a wooden spoon for stirring.

2. 2

   Heat 30 ml olive oil in the deep pot over medium heat for about 1 minute until shimmering. Add the diced onion and minced garlic, stirring occasionally with your wooden spoon for 5 minutes. Cook until the onions turn soft and golden; if they start to brown too quickly at the edges, lower the heat slightly.

3. 3

   Stir in 15 g Moroccan spice mix (cumin, ginger, cinnamon, salt, pepper) and 400 g canned diced tomatoes with their juice. Cook over medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring continuously, until the mixture smells fragrant, bubbles gently, and thickens slightly into a rich aromatic base.

4. 4

   Pour 1000 ml water into the pot and stir in the rinsed brown lentils. Turn the heat to high until the liquid comes to a full boil, then lower heat to medium-low, cover with a lid, and simmer gently for 15 minutes until the lentils are tender when tested with a fork.

5. 5

   Uncover the pot and add 200 g drained cooked chickpeas along with 60 g fine vermicelli pasta. Cook uncovered over medium heat for 7 minutes, stirring frequently so the pasta does not settle and stick to the bottom of the pot, until the vermicelli is completely cooked and tender.

6. 6

   Take the pot off heat so it stops boiling. Stir in 15 ml fresh lemon juice and chopped herbs like parsley if desired. Taste the warm soup to check seasoning, then ladle hot into soup bowls and serve immediately while steaming.

Serve with

Drink

Chinese Chrysanthemum Goji Herbal Tea (Juhua Gouqi Cha)

Chinese · 30 min