Instructions: Drain the chickpeas and place in a saucepan.

Fill with water to about 40mm above the pulses (do not add salt at this stage as it will toughen them).

Throw in 1 onion halved and 3 peeled cloves of garlic.

Bring to the boil and cook for about 5 minutes skinuning off any foam then lower the heat cover and gently bubble for 1 1/4 hours or until tender.

Add a good teaspoon of salt during the last 10 minutes.

Meanwhile chop the remaining onions and garlic and in a flying pan gently cook in 2 tbsp oil adding the cumin and some salt and pepper after about 5 minutes.

Continue until everything has softened but not browned.

When the chickpeas are cooked discard the spent onion and add the contents of the trying pan.

Blitz half the mixture (including the cooking water) in a processor until smooth then quickly process the remainder. so that it is still coarse and chunky.

Mix the two together in a saucepan then stir in the chopped hunt. some olive oil and lots of black pepper. Reheat.

Taste and add more salt if needed. Finally stir in the creme faiche (if using) and sharpen with a good squeeze of lemon juice.

Serve with chopped spring onion and more fresh mint.

Eat with toasted bread.

If you have the time make your own ground cumin: toast some cumin seeds in a hot dry firing pan until they are fragrant (but not burnt) then grind. I use an electric coffee grinder.

Serves 2

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