Curry Chickpea Soup

This afternoon when I was walking home from yoga, I was thinking about what kind of soup to make for lunch. I knew that I had some cooked chickpeas in the refrigerator that I wanted to use up, and I was planning to make something similar to this.  When I got home I discovered that someone (me) had used up the last of the smoked paprika and neglected to replace it. Looking through my spices, I noticed some Vindaloo curry powder and decided to try making a soup with that instead. It turned out pretty well- lightly spicy and very brothy and rich.

Curry Chickpea Soup
olive oil
1 large onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp Vindaloo curry powder
3 stalks celery, finely sliced
2 large carrots, finely sliced
1 large russet potato, cubed
2 15oz cans diced tomatoes
9 cups lightly salted vegetable broth (I used 4 bouillon cubes disolved in water. If you are using unsalted broth, add salt to taste)
3 cups cooked chickpeas (if you are using canned, this is about a 25oz can)
1 bunched spinach, washed and sliced into ribbons
black pepper

Heat a bit of olive oil in a large soup pot. Add onions and garlic, and cook until they begin to brown. Add curry powder and stir well to combine. Add celery and carrots and cook a few minutes more (if the curry powder begins to stick to the pot, add a little water to deglaze). Add potatoes and cook a few minutes more. Add tomatoes and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook until potatoes and carrots are tender. Add chickpeas and spinach and cook for five more minutes. Add a few grindings of fresh pepper to the pot and serve.