Ingredients

• 1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 long thin red pepper (looked like a cayenne but was only moderately spicy after roasting. The name was in Turkish in the market)
• 2 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 1 large split chicken breast, cut into 1 cm strips (optional)
• 4 large celery stalks, or 3 carrots, or other veggies (say 2-3 c), coarsely chopped
• 2 cans red kidney beans
• 125 g. (about 1 cup) conchigliette (mini shell) pasta
  
• marinade (below)
  
• 2 tsp vegetable bouillon (Marigold, "Swiss-style" or whatever, really)
• 1 tsp whole cumin seeds (if you don't have them, see marinade)
  

Marinade

• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin (use 2 tsp if you don't have seeds, above)
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
• a good drizzle of hot sauce
• 2 tsp sesame oil (can substitute olive oil)
• 1 tbsp good quality vinegar (I've used rice or cider before)
  

First, mix the marinade ingredients together.  If you're using chicken, mix it with the marinade and put it in a covered bowl in the fridge. If you're not, marinate the chopped onion.  Preferably do this step several hours in advance.

Start boiling about 2 liters (quarts) of water in a big stock pot.

Turn the oven to broil at maximum temperature, with an oven rack in the highest position.  You may want some aluminum foil on a lower rack to catch drips.  Cut the stems of the peppers and try to seed them as much as you conveniently can while keeping them whole.  You may have to cut the bell pepper in half to fit it in the oven.  Lightly brush the peppers in olive oil and place them on the top rack.  Roast them for what seems like forever (20-30 minutes) checking on them and turning periodically.

While that's going on, add bouillon to the stock pot and start chopping vegetables.  Add the celery and tomatoes whenever they've been chopped.

Heat up a medium frying pan on maximum heat.  Put the cumin seeds in the pan dry and heat them, stirring constantly, until they start to smoke.  Toss them into the stock pot.

Add a teaspoon or two of sesame oil to the frying pan.  Put the chopped onion in the frying pan and cook the onions until they start to get some brownness.  Toss them into the stock pot and if you're using chicken, add it to the frying pan.  Cook the chicken until juices run clear and you can easily cut the pieces with your turner.  Add them to the stock pot.  Turn the burner to low and deglaze the pan by adding enough water to cover the bottom of the pan.  Stir until you've got all the spices into solution and add the liquid to the stock pot.  You may have to do this a couple times.

When the peppers are limp and the outside is mottled black take them out of the grill and let them cool a bit.  Cut them into strips and toss them into the stock pot.

Open the cans of beans, rinse and drain them, add them to the soup.  Add the pasta.

Let the whole thing simmer at least 20 mins.