RECIPE ~ Savoury Chickpea Soup

I've been in a soupy mood! This recipe is a combination of existing recipes from Ayurvedic and vegan cookbooks, but modified to what I think works most deliciously. Serves 4. Excellent with a side of parathas, pakoras or chapatis, or salad and crusty bread.

2 Tbsp olive oil or ghee*
1/2 tsp each cumin, mustard seeds & garam masala
1 cup cauliflower florets*
1 cup carrots, chopped on a diagonal
3 clove garlic, minced*
1" piece ginger, minced
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 cups vegetable broth or stock
1/2 tsp each thyme & rosemary
2 cups spinach, washed & chopped
salt & pepper to taste
garnish: chopped cilantro or parsley, squirt of lemon

Heat the oil or ghee in a soup pot. When hot, add the spices and stir until the mustard seeds pop, then add the garlic, ginger and vegetable, minus the spinach. Stir well to coat, then add chickpeas, stock and herbs. Bring to a boil then simmer until vegetables are tender but not mushy, about 15 minutes. This is not necessary but if you have the time, allow the soup to simmer for an hour or so on low, to really bring out the flavours.

You can serve the soup chunky, or blend to a silky puree. What I like to do is puree 1/3 of the soup, by either transfering some of the soup to a blender and returning puree to the pot, or using a wand-style hand blender in the pot. Whichever you prefer, stir in the chopped spinach at the end and season to taste. Serve garnished with cilantro, parsley or lemon. Vatas can also add a dab of ghee.

* FOR INDIVIDUAL DOSHAS
KAPHAS use only 1 tsp sunflower oil or ghee
PITTAS reduce garlic to 1 clove, omit pepper
VATAS replace cauliflower with sweet potato; chickpeas are okay but not ideal for vatas so you can also make this soup with lentils