Friday evening, coming home after a working day and my head is full of thoughts about what am I making to eat but nothing comes up.
I just want to take a rest before heading to the party we were invited to.
A party, it will probably be great, meeting great people, music, have a glass of wine.
I decided to take the rest and this time just to give up.

Reaching to the party, oh it was just the kind I love!
Warm, bohemian, friendly, social and happy.
Taking a sip from my glass of wine, I started moving to the sounds of music (Madonna classic tune), can’t be bad.
After party at the nearest bar and ups…  realizing the time and that it’s time to go home, otherwise my Saturday is gone.

Waking up to a beautiful day on Saturday with a slight headache made me decide that I am not going to do my morning exercises.
Today I just feel like spoiling myself.
It is about the good feeling after meeting such lovely people, you just want this feeling to last forever.
This was the exact moment that made me decide to comfort myself with a new recipe that will always remind me of that very moment.
Not to look at any cookbook or website inspiration for recipes. That what I feel will be created into a  mix of flavours and will also have the crunchiness of it.

Obviously, the main ingredient will be one that I grew up with and always has been at home since childhood.
So we have the broken chickpeas, what then?
A soup, yes, the dark season is ahead of us, not a bad idea but I would love to have a twisted recipe that will directly lead to the feeling I feel right now!
So here is what came out after grabbing this and that from the kitchen draws.
And the main thing is that this recipe will be the comfort I’ll find for trying to have the feeling I had in the party last for a little while longer.

This soup takes longer cooking time than normal (1.5-2 hours) but worth every minute of it.
I made around 3.5 litres so on Monday could take to work and eagerly serve it there. You can also make half of the amount.

I declare that I am addicted!

Ingredients (Serves 8)

• 5 dl raw broken chickpeas
• 3 litres water
• 4 cubes vegetable stock
• 6-8 tbs olive oil
• 1 big onion, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1-2 handful dried fenugreek leaves
• 1-2 flat tsp coriander seeds
• 1-2 flat tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp red paprika
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 tsp red chilli pepper powder

 

• 2 tsp red curry paste
• 8-10 dried cumin leaves
• 2 medium fresh tomatoes, grated
• Black pepper

If you don’t like crunchy spices seeds, use powders instead.

 

Place chickpeas and water in a casserole and bring to a boil.
reduce heat, cover and cook for 45 min.
Heat the olive oil and gently fry the coriander and cumin seeds for 45 sec.
Be careful not to burn them, keep medium heat.
Add the dried fenugreek leaves and fry for 30sec.

Add onion and fry till light golden.
Add the rest of spices and fry for another 30 sec.
Add garlic and fry another minute while stirring.
Add all to the casserole.
Add the tomatoes, curry paste & cumin leaves.
Cook for another 30-40 min, till the peas are done.
Move 1/3 of the soup to a bowl and grind in a hand blender.
Add to the rest of the soup, serve and garnish with black pepper.