This Spicy North African soup is often served during Ramadan, the Muslim religious festival in which followers fast during the daytime for a month.

Ready

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1 can (14 oz) chopped tomatoes
• 1 pound potatoes, diced
• 1 can (14 ounces) chickpeas, drained
• 5 cups vegetable stock
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
• pinch of cayenne pepper
• 5 strands of saffron
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• salt and ground black pepper
• fresh lemon wedges

Set

• large sauce pan
• measuring cup

Go

1. Place onions and 1 ¼ cups stock in pan.
2. Bring to boil and simmer for about 10 minutes.
3. In measuring cup mix together cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, cayenne pepper and 2 Tbsp of stock to form a paste.
4. Add to pot along with carrots, celery and remaining stock.
5. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer gently for about 6 minutes.
6. Add tomatoes and potatoes and continue to simmer, covered for about 20 minutes.
7. Add the saffron, chickpeas, cilantro and lemon juice.
8. Season with salt and pepper.
9. Serve with lemon wedges.

What you should know

Tip: For cinnamon, microwave cinnamon sticks for a about 15 seconds, remove (be careful it may be hot) and grate. What this does is release oils in the bark (afterall, true cinnamon is the inner bark of a Ceylon tree as opposed to Cassia a close relative which Comonly sold in the United States) for an intense flavor.