I’m addicted to the Australian Women’s Weekly cookbooks – they do a whole set of cookbooks focusing on specific cuisines which I’ve been slowly collecting as I find them. My latest is Moroccan and the Foods of North Africa. This is the first recipe I tried from the cookbook and both Cliff and I really enjoyed it. I think Connor would too, which makes it a big winner! I made a few minor modifications (poaching the chicken means it’s more tender and more importantly means less calories, I added a touch of spicy harissa which perked up the flavor) but this is pretty much the recipe as found in the book.

Algerian Chicken and Chickpea Soup

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 350g chicken breast fillets
• 1 large brown onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 4cm piece of fresh ginger, grated
• 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
• 1½ teaspoons ground cilantro
• 1 teaspoon ground tumeric
• 1½ teaspoon harissa (or add ½ teaspoon paprika and chile powder to taste, this should be a mild dish generally)
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 35g (quarter cup) plain flour
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 4 cups water
• 2x300g chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 2x400g cans crushed tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped preserved lemon
• 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh coriander

1. Bring a pot of water to the boil. Add a touch of salt and then add the chicken and turn off the heat. Leave the chicken in the water for 20-30 minutes, or almost until cooked through. Cool; shred chicken coarsely.
2. Head the remaining oil in large saucepan; cook onion, garlic and ginger, stirring, until onion softens. Add spices; cook, stirring, until fragrant.
3. Add flour; cook, stirring, until mixture bubbles and thickens. Gradually stir in stock and water; cook, stirring, until mixture comes to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes.
4. Add chickpeas and undrained tomatoes, bring to a boil; simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes.
5. Add chicken and lemon; stir soup over heat until hot. Just before serving, stir in fresh coriander.

Recipe makes 6 servings at 288 calories per serving – but we ate two servings as a main course. :P