The first time I tasted this soup was in my mom’s aunt’s home in Ashrafieh, Beirut. She was a Pontiac Greek who was the oldest in the family and had witnessed the genocide and the passing of her parents. Her story could be worthy of a novel, but I can tell you she was the most elegant woman. I enjoyed her home; it was very beautiful with so many trinkets.

Ingredients:

• 16 ounces frozen chopped spinach
• 1 can chickpeas
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• ½ cup tahini
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 3 cloves of garlic, mashed
• Juice of 2 lemons
• 5 cups of water
• Salt to taste
• Pinch of Aleppo pepper (optional)

Instructions:

1. In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, add olive oil. When warm, add chopped onions and sauté until soft.
2. Add the spinach and cook for another 3 minutes while mixing at all times. Then, add the water and allow it to cook for about 20 minutes.
3. In a separate small bowl, combine the mashed garlic, lemon juice, and tahini. Mix really well.
4. Take ¼ cup of the hot soup’s liquid and start incorporating it into the tahini sauce, 1 tablespoon at a time, while mixing at all times. This prevents the tahini from curdling.
5. Add the tahini mix into the soup and turn off the heat. Adjust the salt and sprinkle with Aleppo Pepper (optional).

The soup tastes great whether served hot or at room temperature.