Mexican soup combines all my favourite ingredients in one hearty, spicy bowl.
Cooking your own beans from scratch is the ultimate satisfaction. It just takes a little forethought and there are so many things you can do with them – soup, chili, salads, dips. Cans are fine too but let me run through how to make sublimely good beans.
How to cook dried kidney beans
- Soak 2 cups kidney beans in cold water for a whole day. Drain & rinse well.
- Place in slow cooker with 8 cups water. Cook on high overnight for ~ 8 hours or until soft.
- Stir in 3 tsp salt replace the lid and leave for another few hours to steep.
Your beans are now nice n’ plump ready to use. You can drain and freeze them just be sure to keep the liquid for using as stock.
Mexican soup with tortilla chips
Ingredients
2 cups dried kidney beans (see cooking instructions above) or 3 cans, drained & rinsed
1 large onion, diced
1 red capsicum, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans tomatoes
1 Tbl tomato paste
1 Tbl cumin seeds
1 Tbl paprika
1/2 Tbl dried oregano
1/2 tsp chili powder or to taste
6 cups stock/bean water
1 tsp salt
3 grinds black pepper
1/2 lime, juiced
Method
Cook kidney beans as above or drain & rinse cans.
In a large pot soften onions in oil or broth for ~ 15 minutes. Add capsicum & garlic and cook for several minutes.
Now add the cumin seeds, paprika and oregano. Stir for a bit.
Add beans, tomatoes, tomato paste. Stir well then add the stock. cover and simmer for ~ 20 minutes.
Blend half the soup and return to the pot. Adjust seasonings and add lime juice.
Serve with vegan sour cream or guacamole + tortilla chips.
Tortilla chips
6 tortillas, sliced thin
1 Tbl olive oil
Salt & pepper
Sprinkle of chili powder
Toss tortilla strips in oil and seasonings. Bake for ~ 15 minutes until crispy.
