Brown the onions: Put a large Dutch oven or soup pot on the stove over medium heat. Add the olive oil and let it warm for about 30 seconds.

Add the sliced onions and 1/2 teaspoon of the kosher salt to the pot. Stir well so the onions are coated with the oil.

Cook the onions for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until they soften and start to turn light golden.

Lower the heat to medium-low. Keep cooking the onions for 12 to 15 minutes more, stirring often, until they are deep golden brown and smell sweet.

Transfer about one-third of the browned onions to a plate. Leave the rest in the pot for the base of the soup.

Build the soup: Add the sliced garlic, ground cumin, ground cinnamon, and black pepper to the pot. Stir for 1 minute, until the garlic smells fragrant.

Add the rinsed lentils to the pot. Stir for about 30 seconds so they pick up the spices and onions.

Pour the vegetable broth into the pot. Raise the heat to high and bring the broth to a boil.

When the soup reaches a boil, lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered for 15 minutes.

Add the rinsed rice to the pot. Stir once so the rice does not stick to the bottom.

Keep the soup at a gentle simmer for 12 to 15 minutes more. The lentils should be tender and the rice should be soft and starting to thicken the broth.

Add the drained chickpeas to the pot. Simmer for 5 minutes, until the chickpeas are hot all the way through.