Curried Chickpea Soup

Ingredients

• 1 jalapeño or serrano chile, thinly sliced
• 1 Fresno chile, seeded and minced
• 1 yellow onion, sliced
• 6 cloves garlic
• 2 Tablespoons cilantro, chopped
• 2 Tablespoons mint, chopped
• Zest and juice of 1 1/2 lemons
• 2 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 4 Tablespoons vadouvan or Madras curry powder
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a small bowl, combine the sliced chile, zest and juice of one lemon, and sugar. Set aside for 30 minutes.

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over low heat. Add the garlic and onion and sauté until the onions are soft. Increase the heat to medium, add the vadouvan, and cook, stirring constantly, until aromatic. Add the diced chile and stir for one minute. Add the chickpeas and broth, and bring to a simmer. Leave to simmer 15-20 minutes. Transfer to a blender and purée until smooth. Return the liquid to the pot, add the cream, and return to a simmer over medium-low heat.

Combine the yogurt, cilantro, mint, and remaining lemon juice and zest in a small bowl.

To serve, pour the soup into bowls, and garnish with the yogurt and sliced chiles.