Curried Garbanzo Soup

I'm a mess. I've managed to catch another cold right on the tail end of the last cold, or maybe it's the same cold just staying for a longer visit. Whatever it is, I'm a mess, I can't breathe, I can't stop sneezing, I can't taste anything and I'm cranky, wanna be my friend?

I made another batch of curried soup because when you're sick and you hate everything and can't taste anything, curried soup is a good thing. This time I wanted a soup that had garbanzo beans in it because really, who doesn't love a chickpea in some form or another? It's such a wonderful and versatile little legume. I found an interesting story and recipe here, and was quite pleased by the way it sounded and by the fact that it looked pretty easy to make. I dragged myself out of the apt. long enough to run to the grimy market in my neighborhood. The store is a lot closer than the usual market I shop at but it can't be trusted for freshness and cleanliness. I go there only in cases of extreme laziness or emergencies for things that are canned or bottled, anything else would be chancing fate. Luckily I had all the spices on hand thanks to my recent and frequent Friday trips to Kalustyans. I really love that place, and can't wait not to be pregnant anymore so that I can go back and fit into the extremely narrow aisles once again. heh

The soup was good, and really easy to make, I added a few drops of lime juice at the end of cooking just to bring out the flavors and to allow me to taste the flavors better. I did not make it as spicy as it says it can be, for one thing, I didn't have a fresh cayenne pepper and also, my daily bout of heartburn has gotten more intense the past couple of weeks and I just didn't want to aggravate that symptom anymore than I had to. Hey, only 5 more weeks before baby is scheduled to appear. OMG, A BABY!

Curried Garbanzo Soup

• ¼ cup cooking oil, such as canola
• 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
• 2 whole bay leaves
• 3 pieces whole green cardamom
• 2 whole cloves
• 1 whole, dried cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 2 tablespoons plus 1½ teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon plus 1½ teaspoons minced ginger
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• ½ teaspoon paprika powder
• ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
• Pinch of ground cayenne pepper (optional)
• 2 pounds (approximately 2 small cans) garbanzo beans
• 1¼ cups diced fresh (not canned) tomatoes
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 1¼ cups coconut milk (unsweetened)
• Salt to taste
• Chopped fresh cilantro leaves for garnish
• A tablespoon or more of lime juice to taste (optional)

Directions: On medium-high heat, warm the oil in a large saut pan or pot, then add only the whole spices — the cumin seeds, bay leaves, green cardamom, cloves and optional whole cayenne pepper. When the seeds begin to crack, add the chopped onions and saut until golden brown. Decrease heat to low and stir in the minced garlic and ginger, sauting for 1 minute, or until the raw smell disappears. Remove and discard the bay leaves and optional whole cayenne pepper.

Add the remaining spices — turmeric, coriander, cumin powder, paprika, white pepper, salt and the optional pinch of ground cayenne pepper — being careful not to burn them. Drain the garbanzo beans and pour them into the pan or pot. Add the diced tomatoes and vegetable stock, and simmer uncovered on low heat for half an hour.

Remove half the garbanzo beans from the pan or pot, and blend in a mixer with the coconut milk until smooth. Pour the blended mixture back into the pan or pot and simmer an additional 15 to 20 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt to taste. Serve hot, with chopped cilantro leaves as a garnish, and if you like, a few drops of lime juice or wedges of lime. Makes 4 servings.

Written by Deb on December 16, 2003 07:18 PM