Chickpea and Tomato Soup (Shawrbat An-Nikhi)

From: "Classic Vegetarian Cooking from the Middle East & North Africa" by Habeeb Salloum. Arabian Gulf. See my Gulf Spices (Ibzar). Time does not include soaking chickpeas overnight. I'm sure canned chickpeas could be used to save time.

• Ready In: 3 hrs 40 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1  cup chickpeas, soaked overnight and drained (garbanzo beans)
• 8  cups water
• 1 -4  tablespoon olive oil (original is 4tbsp)
• 4  tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• 2  medium onions, chopped
• 1 (15 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
• 2  teaspoons  ibzar mixed spice (Gulf Spices (Ibzar))
• 1⁄8 teaspoon cayenne
•  salt, to taste

Directions

1. Place chickpeas and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook over medium heat for 2 to 3 hours or until chickpeas are well cooked, adding more water if necessary.
2. In the meantime, heat oil in a frying pan and saute cilantro and onions over medium heat for 10 minutes.
3. Stir in remaining ingredients and cook for another 10 minutes.
4. Add frying pan contents to the chickpeas and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes; then remove from heat.
5. Use an immersion blender to puree the mixture in the pot, add more water if desired.
6. Heat through and serve.