Spiced Bean Soup

Description

This authentic Moroccan soup is perfect for vegetarians as a light meal or as an appetizer. This recipe serves 4.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
• 1.5 L water
• 200 g red lentils
• 400 g chickpeas, drained
• 400 g cannellini beans
• 400 g tomatoes, chopped
• 50 g carrots, chopped
• 50 g celery, chopped
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• ½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. When it's hot, add the onions, garlic, and ginger. Reduce the heat and stir gently on a medium heat for about 5 minutes.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil for five minutes.
3. Reduce the heat again and allow the mixture to simmer for an hour, slightly more if the lentil aren't soft.
4. Take the mixture off the heat and leave it to cool for 10 minutes or so.
5. Put half of the soup in a blender for about 5 minutes, until it is smooth. Then put that back into the pan with the rest of the soup.
6. Put the saucepan back on the heat, stirring to make sure it is even, and simmer for five minutes.