Since I have started exploring African and Mediterranean cuisine these past few weeks, I have been surprised by two things:
- The number of vegetarian options that are available (then there are non-vegetarian recipes that could be adapted to become vegetarian).
- How “Indian” some of these dishes taste.
Today, I am exploring Lablabi or Leblebi, a chickpea soup from Tunisia. When I stumbled upon this recipe, I could instantly identify with the tastes. I was also a bit curious about how it would taste as it had so few spices and ingredients.
To be honest, even while it was cooking I was a bit iffy, but when I put it all together, the Lablabi turned out to be super delicious! As a bonus, this chickpea soup is relatively low-calorie, protein-rich and spicy. What more can one ask for?
Here’s to exploring more of African cuisine, especially Tunisian.
Lablabi is served on a bed of slightly old crusty bread with an assorted set of toppings such as Harissa, Preserved Lemon, Fresh Tomatoes, Poached Eggs, and more.
Lablabi looks and should be watery. This liquid will be absorbed by the bread which is an integral part of serving the Lablabi. The bread, after it absorbs the water, tastes simply divine!
Serves: 4
Soaking Time: 8 to 12 Hours
Cooking Time: 60 Minutes
Ingredients for Lablabi
- Chickpeas or Kabuli Chana – 1 Cup
- Onion – 1 Large
- Carrot – 1 Medium
- Minced Garlic – 1/2 tsp
- Roasted Cumin Powder – 1 to 1.5 tsp
- Bay Leaf – 1
- Lemon Juice – 1 tsp
- Olive Oil – 1 tbsp
- Salt to Taste
To Serve
- Harissa
- Preserved Lemon (See notes for a substitute 🙂)
- Bread Slices – 4
The Method to Make Lablabi
- Soak the chickpeas in 2 cups of water for at least 8 hours.
- Drain the water.
- Add fresh water and pressure cook the chickpeas till they are soft.
- Set aside and preserve the water in which the chickpeas were cooked.
- Chop the onions and carrots to fine pieces.
- In a pan or a wok, heat the olive oil.
- Add the onions and bay leaf.
- Stir-fry till the onions are transparent.
- Add the minced garlic and carrots.
- Stir-fry for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add the cumin powder and mix well.
- Add 1.5 cups of water in which the chickpeas were cooked.
- Bring to a simmer.
- Add the cooked chickpeas.
- Turn down the heat to medium-low.
- Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
- Check occasionally to ensure that there is enough water.
- Add more water if required.
- Turn off the heat.
- Add the salt and lemon juice.
- Mix well.
- Discard the bay leaf and set aside the Lablabi to rest.
To Serve the Lablabi/Leblebi
- Lightly toast the bread.
- Chop up the bread into small pieces.
- Cut the preserved lemon into fine strips.
- Ensure that the Lablabi is hot.
- Place 1/4 the toasted bread in a bowl.
- Pour a generous helping of the Lablabi.
- Garnish with Harissa and Preserved Lemon.
- Mix well and savour!
Tips
- You could make preserved lemon but that takes some time (2-3 weeks for the lemons to pickle). I cheated. 🙂
- I took pieces from Nimmakaya or Nimbu ka Achar.
- Washed off all the masala and oil. 🙂
- Used the pieces in place of the preserved lemons. The taste was close enough!
- While the pictures show large lemon pieces, I actually sliced them very fine and mixed them up in the Lablabi.
- If you don’t have Harissa, you could use chilli powder and coriander powder as a substitute but the result is just not the same. 🙁
- If you have some stale crusty bread, use that without toasting. I had only fresh bread and so I toasted the bread.
- You could add a poached or fried eggs as a topping. I believe that in Tunisia the Lablabi is served so hot that a raw egg is broken onto the Lablabi poaches in the heat.
I am taking this hearty soup to the party at:
I remember reading about this dish when I was exploring some Algerian and Egyptian veg dishes, some time back. It read that it is served often for breakfast with stale bread.
Kudos to you for exploring different cuisine Aruna and bringing something different every time.
My sister just left from San Francisco for Africa today- for TWO months!! I was thinking about trying some African food in her honor!! 🙂 Your soup sounds like a good start!
Aha! Flavour se ‘labaalab’ this is 😀
And you know my love for the Middle Eastern.
This looks yum!
I’ve never heard of this dish but you’ve got me curious! Yours looks absolutely delicious! Thanks for sharing this with us…I’ll try it out!
I recently found an AWESOME African recipe blog. Actually, I found it today in a newsletter. Check her out! https://www.africanbites.com/
Thank you so much. Will do!
Reblogged this on MAXIMUSOPTIMUSDOMINUS.
Yum looks delicious Aruna!
New to me:-) u always inspire me with your dishes Aruna
Looks yum! Sounds wierd to crack a raw egg over the food! May be it’s served seriously hot over there!
Wow looks yumm!!
This looks wonderful, perfect with my harissa 🙂
Chick peas is welcome anytime in any dish. This looks appetizing with the addition of Harissa paste to heat it up. As you mentioned, very familiar ingredients make us embrace it easily!
Interesting recipe Aruna.. love these protein filled soups
Sounds interesting and delicious. ….
I love soup year around and this recipe looks delicious!
This looks like such a gorgeous recipe I can almost taste it now! I really like that you gave a few sub recipes and substitutions, too! I love chickpeas, so full of protein and frugal, too! I have some soaking right now, but some them may veer off for this recipe! Thanks for bringing this to Fiesta Friday!
Any excuse to serve chickpeas, but this soup looks amazing! I love the flavours of North African food, so this one’s a keeper, for sure!
Saw this on the Fiesta Friday linkup and had to check it out – chickpeas are all kinds of good.
How delectable!I’ve traveled to parts of Africa and enjoy the spices and cuisine, so I am delighted that you shared your healthy and delicious Tunisian Chickpea Soup recipe with us on the Plant-Based Potluck Party Link Up. I appreciate it and I can’t wait to try your recipe. I’m pinning and sharing.
This looks great! I am unfamiliar with Tunisian cuisine, but have discovered some Tunisian bakeries in Europe, and their sweets are phenomenal 🙂
Sounds delicious.