A popular, generous, and fragrant Tunisian soup, served piping hot over stale bread with melting chickpeas, harissa, cumin, garlic, lemon, and a poached egg. A simple, nourishing, and intensely comforting street food.
Ingredients
- 300 g dried chickpeas
- 1.5 l water
- 8 slices stale bread like baguette
- 4 pieces eggs
- 4 cloves garlic
- 4 tbsp Tunisian harissa
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 pieces lemons
- to taste fine salt
- to taste ground black pepper
- 4 tbsp pickled capers
- 80 g pitted black olives
- 160 g canned tuna in water, drained
Method
- The day before, cover the chickpeas with cold water and let them swell until they are plump and softer to the touch.
- Drain the chickpeas, put them in a large pot with fresh water, bring to a simmer, and skim until you have a clear broth.
- Simmer gently, covered, until the chickpeas are easily crushed between your fingers and the broth is slightly cloudy and fragrant.
- Crush the garlic with the salt, add it to the pot with the cumin and pepper, then let simmer a bit longer so the broth takes on a warm, spiced aroma.
- Prepare the bowls by tearing the stale bread into the bottom; it should form an irregular base capable of absorbing the broth without getting mushy too quickly.
- Crack the eggs into the simmering broth and poach them gently until the whites are set and the yolks are still soft.
- Pour the piping hot broth, chickpeas, and one egg into each bowl over the bread, then wait just long enough for the bread to soak it up while keeping some texture.
- Finish each bowl with harissa, olive oil, lemon juice, capers, olives, and flaked tuna, then serve immediately with extra cumin and lemon at the table.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 746.7 kcal
- Protein
- 31.93 g
- Carbohydrate
- 64.8 g
- Fat
- 39.46 g
- Fibre
- 12.59 g
- Calcium
- 143.38 mg
- Iron
- 8.95 mg
- Magnesium
- 140.08 mg
