Moroccan Chickpea Soup

Spicy, Moroccan-style garbanzo bean soup with onion, carrots, aromatic spices and sesame paste.

Recipe Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and grated
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
3 cups vegetable broth
1/3 cup sesame paste
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Cooking Directions:

1. In a 2-quart saucepan, heat olive oil. Add onion, carrot and garlic; sauté until tender. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, in a food processor, purée garbanzo beans, vegetable broth, sesame paste and lemon juice.
3. Stir purée into onion mixture. Add parsley, cumin, pepper, thyme, turmeric and cayenne pepper. Cover and cook for 5 minutes to heat through.

Makes 6 servings.