Hlelem- Tunisian Vegetable and Bean Soup

Hlelem Soup

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Cup dried Chickpeas
• 1/2 Cup Lima or Butter Beans
• 3/4 Cup Onion minced
• 1 quart Chicken Stock, homemade
• 2 Tablespoons Olive oil
• 1/3 Cup Tomato paste
• 1/3 Cup Hair Pasta, broken into bite sized pieces
• 1 Teaspoon Garlic, minced
• 2 Tablespoon Harissa
• Ground Black Pepper to taste
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 Cup Parsley, chopped
• 1/2 cup Celery, diced
• 4 large Kale leaves (removed stems and cut into 1 inch pieces

Cooking Directions:

1. Soak lima beans and chickpeas separately for overnight.
2. Drain and cook lima beans and chickpeas separately with two times their volume with water. Cook for 45 minutes or until they are tender.
3. When cook drain and reserved the water of lima beans and chick beans and combine both waters.
4. Combine lima and chickpeas and set aside.
5. In a saucepan heat the olive oil over medium heat.
6. Add onion, garlic and celery.
7. Sauté the onion for 4 to 6 minutes or until onion turn into translucent.
8. Add tomato paste, chicken stock and reserved beans cooking liquid.
9. Mix together until well blended and bring to a simmer for 10 minutes.
10. Add kale, pasta, lima and chickpeas.
11. Simmer until pasta and kale are tender about 10 minutes.
12. Add harissa and stir. Season with salt and pepper.
13. Serve soup in bowls and garnish with chopped parsley.