Moroccan Ramadan Soup

[goodcookin]

Moroccan Ramadan Soup

1 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 cup chopped white onion
3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1/4 cup chopped celery
16 ounce canned crushed tomatoes in juice
2 cups broth
1/4 cup garbanzo beans canned
1/8 cup brown lentils
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 cup vermicelli or thin spaghetti, broken into 2 inch pieces
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro leaves, stems removed
1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley, stems removed

In a medium stockpot, heat olive oil until sizzling. Add the onion, garlic and celery, cooking until translucent. Add tomatoes, broth, garbanzo beans, lentils, black pepper, cinnamon cumin and turmeric to the stockpot. Cook over low heat for 40 minutes, or until lentils become tender.

Add the vermicelli to the soup. Mix flour with lemon juice and form into a paste. Add flour paste gradually to the soup until the soup thickens. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes.

Stir in cilantro and Italian parsley.

Serves 2.