Hummus Soup

Another delicious soup from Martha Rose Shulman's cookbook Mediterranean Light. She states the soup tastes best the day after it's made. This is her ode to hummus lovers. Feel free to add more garlic!

• Ready In: 16 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 lb chickpeas, washed and picked over or 1⁄2 lb  equivalent cannd chickpeas
• 6  cups water or 6  cups  stock
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1  teaspoon cumin
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1  pinch saffron or 3 -5  saffron threads
• 1  teaspoon salt, to taste
• 2  garlic cloves, peeled
• 2  lemons, juice of
• 2  tablespoons tahini
• 1  cup plain yogurt, plus additional
•  plain yogurt, for garnish
•  lemon wedge, for garnish
•  Italian parsley (to garnish)
•  sumaq (to garnish)

Directions

1. Soak the chickpeas overnight and drain, or rinse and drain.
2. canned chickpeas.
3. Combine chickpeas with the water or stock, turmeric, cumin, and coriander in a large heavy-bottomed soup pot.
4. Bring to a boil and add the saffron.
5. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour.
6. Add the salt and continue to simmer another hour or until the beans are tender.
7. (Less cooking time is required if using canned chickpeas.).
8. Blend the soup to a smooth puree in a blender, immersion blender or food processor along with the garlic, lemon juice, and tahini.
9. Pour back into the pot and whisk in the yogurt.
10. Thin out, if you wish, with water or additional yogurt.
11. Taste and adjust seasonings.
12. Heat through and serve, topping each bowl with a spoonful of yogurt and garnishing with a lemon wedge for squeezing over the soup.
13. I like to add a sprig of Italian parsley and a sprinkle of sumac on top of the soup.
14. Soup will keep for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator and freezes well.