Fresh Green Chickpea and Yogurt Soup
By: Habeeb Salloum/Arab America Contributing Writer

I always wondered through the years why green chickpeas have not, like peas, become a popular food in North America. For me when eaten green they are the most succulent of the pulses. Every year in my postage stamp size garden I plant a small part of it with chickpeas and if it does not rain too much during the summer, I enjoy immensely the few handfuls of green chickpeas that have grown. Where I live today none of my neighbours have vegetable gardens and I am sure that when some of them see my backyard garden, they must say to themselves ‘he has moved to the city but he is still a farmer’. But I don’t worry about what they think! Little do they know that one of the major reasons that I plant the garden is so I can relish my fresh-green chickpeas.
This soup can also be puréed before serving then decorated with the mint and served.
Serves 8
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cups fresh (shelled) green chickpeas
5 cups vegetable broth
4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander
2 cups plain yogurt
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
Heat oil in a saucepan then fry onion over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add the chickpeas and vegetable broth then bring to boil. Cover then simmer over medium-low heat for 15 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl and allow to cool.
Stir in remaining ingredients, except mint, then sprinkle with the mint and serve cold.
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