Moroccan Chick-pea Soup The farther south you go in the Mediterranean region, the more complex and intriguing the flavors become. This chick-pea soup is quite unlike the European chick-pea dishes; pungent with spices and fiery with harissa, it is almost like an Indian curry. 1 cup dried (½ pound) chick-peas, washed and picked over ½ cup chopped fresh parsley ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper ¼ teaspoon powdered saffron ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric ¼ teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/3 cup grated onion 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 large potato, unpeeled and diced ¼ to ½ teaspoon harissa or cayenne pepper 2 quarts water Salt ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (optional) ¼ cup chopped cilantro Soak the chick-peas overnight or for several hours in 3 times their volume of water (use bottled water if your tap water is hard); drain. Combine the soaked beans with all the other ingredients except the salt, lemon juice, and cilantro and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 1½ hours, until the beans are tender. Add salt to taste. Remove 2 cups of the soup and puree in a blender; return to the pot and mix well. Just before serving, stir in the lemon juice if desired and the cilantro and correct seasonings. This soup will keep for 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator, but add lemon juice and cilantro just before serving. It also freezes well. Makes 4 to 6 servings. From "Mediterranean Light — Delicious Recipes from the World's Healthiest Cuisines" by Martha Rose Shulman middle eastern recipe index christina m k al-sudairy buy the book!