Ingredients
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2 tablespoons butter
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1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
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1/2 teaspoon turmeric
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1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
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1/2 teaspoon ground pepper (or more to taste)
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1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
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1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
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1 pinch saffron (large pinch, crumbled)
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1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes, pureed
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1 cup brown lentils
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1 (19 ounce) can chickpeas, drained
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4 cups vegetable broth
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1/4 cup vermicelli, broken (or orzo or other small pasta)
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2 tablespoons flour
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1/2 cup fresh parsley
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1/2 cup fresh cilantro
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1/4 cup lemon juice
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2 onions, chopped
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1 celery rib, chopped
Instructions
- In large heavy saucepan or dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in onion and celery and cook, covered, for 7-10 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring occasionally.
- Add cinnamon, turmeric, salt, pepper, ginger, hot pepper sauce and saffron. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, lentils, chickpeas and broth. Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer, covered, for about 40 minutes or until lentils are tender.
- Stir in noodles and simmer, covered, about 7 minutes longer or until noddles are just tender. In bowl, whisk flour, and 1 cup water until smooth. Whisk flour mixture into soup and simmer, stirring often, for 2-4 minutes or until soup is thickened and no raw flour taste remains.
- Stir in half of the parsley and cilantro, and all of the lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding up to 1/2 tsp more salt if needed. Garnish with remaining parsley and cilantro.