Chickpea and Tomato Soup (Shawrbat An-Nikhi)

Ingredients

• 1 cup chickpeas
• soaked overnight and drained (garbanzo beans)
• 8 cups water
• 1 -4 tablespoon olive oil (original is 4tbsp)
• 4 tablespoons fresh cilantro
• finely chopped
• 2 medium onions
• chopped
• 1 (15 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons ibzar mixed spice (Gulf Spices (Ibzar))
• 18 teaspoon cayenne
• salt
• to taste

Instructions

1. Place chickpeas and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. Cook over medium heat for 2 to 3 hours or until chickpeas are well cooked, adding more water if necessary.
3. In the meantime, heat oil in a frying pan and saute cilantro and onions over medium heat for 10 minutes.
4. Stir in remaining ingredients and cook for another 10 minutes.
5. Add frying pan contents to the chickpeas and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes; then remove from heat.
6. Use an immersion blender to puree the mixture in the pot, add more water if desired.
7. Heat through and serve.