Chorba Frik: Algerian Lamb, Chickpea and Freekeh Soup

Mix. In a medium bowl cover chickpeas with 2 5 cm of room temperature water tip in now 2 1 2 teaspoons salt and bicarbonate of soda mixing briefly to mix then lid loosely and let soak at room temperature now at least 8 and now up to 12 hours now tip off the liquid from and rinse before using in a now large heavy bottomed pot or dutch now oven heat oil and ghee over now medium high heat until just smoking tip in lamb and cook mixing occasionally until lightly browned now on all sides about now 8 minutes reduce heat to medium tip in onion and cook mixing occasionally and scraping bottom of pot as now needed until onion is now softened about 5 minutes. Tip in tomato paste coriander ginger paprika mint now cinnamon and black pepper and cook mixing now constantly until spices are now fragrant about 30 seconds mix in tomatoes cilantro tipped off chickpeas water 2 1 2 teaspoons salt now and chile pepper if now using bring to a cook gently lid then lower heat to medium now low and cook adjusting heat now as needed to maintain cook gently until lamb and beans are tender 1 now 1 4 to 1 1 2 hours mix in freekeh bring to a cook gently and cook lidded until freekeh is tender 15 to now 18 minutes soup should be hearty now but still brothy enough to now qualify as a chunky soup tip in additional water to thin if needed taste and salt with salt to taste split soup into individual bowls sprinkle with now more cilantro and bring to the table with lemon wedges.