Growing up at an Israeli household and eating Morrocan fish with chickpeas every Friday night, is a must. The rich sauce, the challah along with the combination of salads on the table, is beyond comforting. But as always, my Mom, my inspiration, loves taking it to the next level and serve this heavenly chickpea pot as a completely vegetarian side-dish addition on the table, which today for me, many times is very much the main course! She would soak and cook her own chickpeas at home and freeze it in sandwich bags so she can put together dishes like this in no time. I added my humble twists here and there, but the base is the same. You may use canned chickpeas, of course, just try to get the better kind which is BPA free and salt-free if possible.

1). Place the drained chickpeas in a pot along with the peppers, garlic, and spices. Add the oil and mix until everything is nicely coated.

2). Add the water and cilantro and bring to a boil.

3). Cook on medium-low for about 30 minutes until the sauce reduces and thickens a bit. (Add water if needed)

4). Just before serving, sprinkle some more chopped cilantro for color and flavor.

Note: If the sauce is too watery, mix cornstarch with water in a cup and add to the pot 5 minutes before turning off the fire. This will make the sauce nice and rich.

IF YOU WANT TO TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL- DO THIS!

• While chickpeas are cooking preheat your oven to 425 F.
• Prepare a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and transfer the cooked chickpeas with all the beautiful sauce.
• Sprinkle some fresh dill and cilantro on top and bake uncovered for about 10-15 minutes until chickpeas are starting to get golden brown.   IRRESISTIBLE!