Moroccan Chickpeas with Cinnamon

Even though the weather has cooled down a bit lately in Tunis, it's still hot. The highs have been in the low 90s the last two days, which is a welcome reprieve from the Saharan winds what were blowing through on Sunday and Monday.

One of the ways we've been keeping cool is by staying away from the grease. Most of the food on the street is "le fast food," and it's far from healthy and satisfying when you want to beat the heat. Yesterday, Jeremy found a recipe for Chickpeas in a Middle Eastern cookbook. We decided to give it a spin tonight, and it hit the spot. Be careful on the chili pepper unless you really know what you're doing. We added some liberally, and it was difficult to get through with dry eyes. (If you want to see how the real food bloggers handle recipes, check out Chubby Hubby - one of my favorites on the web.)

Moroccan Chickpeas with Cinnamon
Adapted from The New Book of Middle Eastern Food by Claudia Roden.


2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Large Onion, Chopped
3 Cloves Garlic, Crushed
1/2 Tsp Cinnamon
1 Tsp Cumin
1/4 Tsp Ground Chili Pepper
1.5 Cups Chickpeas, or two 15 oz cans

Heat the oil in a large pan and and fry the onion until golden. Add the garlic and stir for a moment or two. Stir in the spices and add the drained soaked chickpeas. Cover with water and simmer for about an hour, or until the chickpeas are very tender, adding water to keep them covered. Reduce it at the end to a thick sauce.

We just ate ours with some leftover rice and some fresh bread, but I'm sure it'd be good with couscous or just alone as a side dish. It comes out a very nice brownish-red color.