This recipe makes use of kidney beans, which lend it the protein punch. Soaking kidney beans overnight has many benefits. It helps to get rid of anti-nutrients from the beans, reduces cooking time considerably and, most importantly, makes them easier to digest. Beans that are soaked overnight [or 12 hours] before cooking, cause less flatulence as compared to beans that are cooked without soaking. But remember, always discard the water used for soaking, since it contains the anti-nutrients.
Roasted red pepper tomato bean soup with mint cream
Ingredients
For the soup
- ½ tbsp olive oil
- 2 large red pepper or capsicum [cut in half lengthwise and deseeded]
- 3 cloves garlic, [finely chopped]
- 1 large onion [finely chopped]
- 3 large tomatoes [roughly chopped]
- 1 cup red kidney beans [soaked overnight and boiled till tender]
- 4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
- 2 – 3 sprigs fresh basil
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper powder to taste
For the mint cream
- ⅓ cup hung yoghurt
- ¼ cup fresh mint [finely chopped]
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper powder to taste
Preparation method
- Lightly rub the red pepper halves with olive oil, spear onto a fork or skewer over a medium flame till skin is very wrinkled and roasted all over. When done, cool slightly and peel off skin. Roughly chop the roasted peppers.
- Heat the remaining olive oil in a large pot or saucepan over a medium flame and sauté the garlic and onion till translucent. Add tomatoes, red peppers and stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer till vegetables are tender.
- Add fresh basil and remove from flame. Cool slightly and purée till smooth in a blender or food processor.
- Return pureed soup to the pot, add beans, salt and pepper and heat till soup is very hot.
- For mint cream, combine all the ingredients and mix very thoroughly.
- To serve, ladle soup into soup bowls and top with a dollop of mint cream. Serve immediately.
This was first published in the December 2014 issue of Complete Wellbeing.