Merguez Sausage and Chickpea Soup

Ingredients

• 1 lb merguez sausage, casings removed or sliced
• 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small carrot, diced
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ¼ tsp cayenne or chili flakes, to taste
• 1 tbsp harissa paste (adjust to spice preference)
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 cup crushed tomatoes (canned or fresh)
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro or flat-leaf parsley
• Optional: plain yogurt or labneh, for serving
• Optional: grilled flatbread or couscous on the side