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Recipeother Vegetarian

Serrouda (moroccan Chickpea Puree)

Chickpeas (pois chiches in French or hummus in Arabic) are a popular legume in Moroccan cooking. In this recipe, dried chickpeas are soaked, peeled and then cooked until tender with onion, saffron, salt, and pepper. The beans are then pureed and the resulting mixture can be served as a dip or thinned to a soup-like consistency. Allow eight hours or overnight soaking for the chickpeas. Note that the name serrouda may also refer to a salad of chickpeas in tomato sauce. Also try Bessara, a dried fava bean puree which can also be served as a dip or soup.

complex12 ingredients16 preparation steps
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Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups dried chickpeas
  • 1/4 cup olive oil, optional
  • 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 pinch saffron threads, crumbled
  • 1 pinch turmeric
  • Salt, to taste
  • Ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or paprika, to taste
  • Ground cumin, to taste
  • Butter, or olive oil, to taste

Preparation

  1. 1Steps to Make It
  2. 2Gather the ingredients.
  3. 3Ahead of time, place the dried chickpeas in a large bowl and fill with tap water.
  4. 4Leave the chickpeas to soak overnight or for at least eight hours.
  5. 5Drain the chickpeas and remove the skin.(Note: You can peel the chickpeas by pinching them between your forefinger and thumb, or by rubbing the chickpeas vigorously between kitchen towels to loosen the skins.)
  6. 6Proceed to the next step, or freeze the chickpeas until needed.
  7. 7Place the soaked, peeled chickpeas in a 3-quart pot along with the onion, oil and spices.
  8. 8Add 3 cups of water and bring to a boil.
  9. 9Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer the chickpeas for about 1 1/2 hours, or until tender.
  10. 10Pass the chickpeas and their liquid through a food mill, or puree everything in afood processoruntil smooth.
  11. 11Add additional water as needed to yield either a dip which is thin enough to pour, or a thick, pureed soup.
  12. 12Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.
  13. 13Serve theserroudawarm as a soup, dip, side or light dinner with bread for dipping.
  14. 14If desired, garnish the chickpea puree with olive oil or butter and a light dusting of cayenne pepper or paprika.
  15. 15Cumin may also be added as seasoning.
  16. 16Serve and enjoy!