This very popular Tunisian soup is eaten for breakfast. In poor families it serves as a meal during the day. Little cafés in popular areas serve it in the morning to people going off to work.

　　

Ingredients

serves 6-8

　　2 cups chickpeas, soaked overnight

　　2 quarts water

　　Salt

　　4 or 5 cloves garlic, crushed

　　1 teaspoon harissa (see page 464), or to taste (optional)

　　1–2 teaspoons ground cumin

　　6 slices day-old or very lightly toasted country bread

　　3–4 lemons cut in wedges

　　1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, or a bottle to pass around

　　

Step 1

Put the drained chickpeas in a pan with the water and simmer, covered, for 1 1/2 hours, until the chickpeas are very soft, adding water to keep the chickpeas covered. Add salt, garlic, harissa, and cumin, and cook 20 minutes more.

　　

Step 2

Serve in individual soup bowls. Put a slice of toasted bread in each bowl and ladle the soup on top. Give people lemon wedges to squeeze over their bowls and pass round the bottle of olive oil for them to sprinkle on.

　　The New Book of Middle Eastern Food Copyright © 2000Knopf