Rinse the chickpeas, then soak them in 4 cups of water for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Stack the gongura leaves on a cutting board and roll them up tightly. Using a sharp knife, slice the rolled-up leaves into thin ribbons, or chiffonade. Reserve.

Strain the chickpeas and transfer them to a pot with 4 cups of fresh water. Add 1 teaspoon of the salt and the cumin seeds to the pot. Bring the water to a boil, then turn the heat down to a simmer and cook the chickpeas, adding more water as needed. The chickpeas are done when they are soft all the way through, about 25 minutes.

Strain the chickpeas, reserving the water.

While the chickpeas are cooking, heat the coconut oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and the remaining teaspoon of salt. Sauté the diced onions until they are golden brown, about 15 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Add the ginger, garlic, tomato, turmeric and cayenne pepper, if using. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the tomatoes release their juices and break down, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes.

Add the gongura chiffonade, the chickpeas, and about 2 cups of the reserved water. (The remaining starchy water can be used to thicken soups or as a broth substitute.)

Let the mixture simmer for a couple minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Check the salt and add more to taste before serving.