Moroccan · Soup
Moroccan Chickpea and Cumin Soup
The soup version of the steaming chickpea plates sold from Marrakech carts — chickpeas simmered soft in a cumin-heavy broth with garlic and a little tomato, then loosened into a bowl and showered with cumin and salt at the table. Warming, cheap and deeply savoury.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Total
- 65 min
- Serves
- 5
- Level
- Easy
Ingredients
- 300 g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight (or 3 tins, drained)
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tomatoes, grated
- 2 tsp ground cumin, plus extra to serve
- 1 tsp sweet paprika, 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 small bunch coriander, chopped
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- Salt, and lemon wedges to serve
Method
- 1
Simmer the chickpeas
Drain the soaked chickpeas and simmer in fresh water 50–60 minutes until very soft. Rub a few between your fingers — they should crush easily.
- 2
Fry the base
In a pot, soften the onion in oil, add garlic, cumin, paprika and turmeric and fry 1 minute, then the grated tomato and cook to a paste.
- 3
Loosen into soup
Add the chickpeas with plenty of their cooking liquid. Simmer 15 minutes, then lightly crush about a third with a masher to thicken the broth.
- 4
Finish
Stir in coriander, season generously, and add a good drizzle of olive oil. Serve with extra cumin and salt to sprinkle and lemon to squeeze.
Chef's tips
- A pinch of bicarbonate of soda in the soaking water helps chickpeas soften and slip their skins.
- The cumin-and-salt bowl on the table is not optional — that final hit at the table is the whole point.
Frequently asked questions
Is this the same as the street chickpea plate?
It is the soup form of it. The Marrakech cart version is drained chickpeas in a little hot broth; add more liquid and you have this bowl.
Can I blend it smooth?
You can for a silky version, but the tradition leaves it chunky with whole chickpeas and just a little crushed for body.