Moroccan Chickpea Soup

Oval shaped pasta orzo is seasoned with cinnamon, paprika and freshly grated ginger. Chickpeas, lentils and tomatoes make this soup hearty, with a sprinkling of parsley, cilantro and lemon juice for a refreshing finish. This recipe comes to us from Sandhya of Vegetarianirvana.

Serves 4

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3/4 cup onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup celery, chopped
• 2 tablespoons dried orzo, uncooked
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
• 3 ½ cups water
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon flour
• 1 cup canned tomatoes
• 2 cups chickpeas, cooked
• 1 cup lentils, cooked al dente
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons parsley, chopped
• 2 teaspoons cilantro, chopped

Place the oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add the onion and celery to the pot and sauté for 3-5 minutes, or until the onion has become transparent.

Add the uncooked orzo, season with cinnamon and paprika and sauté for 30 seconds, or until the spices begin to become fragrant.

Pour in a cup of water, the fresh ginger and 1 of the teaspoons salt. Cover and allow the mixture to come to a rolling boil.

While the soup is coming to a boil, place the tomatoes in a blender or food processor. Add the flour and pulse until the tomatoes and flour reach a smooth puree.

When the onion water mixture comes to a rolling boil, uncover and add the chickpeas, lentils, tomato flour puree, remaining teaspoon salt and remaining 2 ½ cups water.

Cook, uncovered, over medium high heat, for about 10 minutes, or until the orzo has cooked. Remove from heat.

Season the soup with the lemon juice, parsley and cilantro after it has been removed from heat. Enjoy warm or at room temperature. As the soup reaches room temperature, it will thicken slightly.