Place ½ cup wheat in a large bowl the night before cooking.

Fill the bowl with water until the wheat is completely submerged. Soak overnight to reduce the cooking time.

Drain the soaking water and transfer the wheat to a large pot.

Add 3 cups water and bring to a boil.

Cook until the wheat begins to soften, then add the thoroughly rinsed green lentils.

Cook until the lentils are almost tender but not fully cooked.

Finely dice the green beans (about ¼-inch pieces) and stir them into the pot.

Continue cooking for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, boil 2 cups water in a kettle.

Add the rinsed bulgur to the pot, then immediately pour in the 2 cups boiling water.

Finely dice the eggplant, zucchini, and red pepper into pieces about the same size as the green beans.

Add the eggplant, zucchini, and red pepper to the pot.

Stir in the tomato paste and pepper paste until fully dissolved.

Check the consistency. This is a soup, so if it seems too thick, add more hot water as needed.

Season with salt to taste.

Add the cooked chickpeas and continue simmering until the vegetables are tender but not mushy.

Stir in the pomegranate molasses.

Add the juice of 1 large or 2 small lemons.

Simmer for another 2–3 minutes.

To make the mint oil, heat ½ cup olive oil in a small pan.

Once the oil is hot, add the dried mint. After about 5 seconds, remove the pan from the heat to prevent the mint from burning.

Pour the mint oil into the soup and bring it to a gentle boil.

Turn off the heat.

In a small bowl, combine the garlic and a pinch of salt, then crush them into a paste.

Stir the garlic paste into the hot soup.

Let the soup rest for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!