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Spicy Bean and Carrot Soup

Spicy bean and carrot soup
Food for the soul: Spicy Bean and Carrot Soup 

What could be more satisfying than a bowl of hot soup to warm up the body in this chilly weather. I love Winter in Tokyo as it's dry, sunny and blue sky is a rather common sight. The temperature at the moment ranges from 5 degrees in the day and could dip to -2 when it's dark.

All the Christmas leftover had gone and dusted, and I felt like making soup, something thick, something spicy but very easy to make. Enter our favourite Spicy Bean and Carrot Soup. The idea was adapted from this book, one of the recipe book collection in our kitchen. I did some small changes but most of the ingredients are the same as in the book.
Spicy bean and carrot soup served with rice, fried cabbage, avocado and spicy beef.
This was what we had the soup with: Rice, fried cabbage with chilli and dried anchovies, avocado and spicy beef

I used:
  • 1 can chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon tomato puree
  • 1 fresh tomato, diced
  • 1/2 large or 1 small onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped very finely
  • 1 can red kidney beans, drained and washed
  • 1 medium sized carrots, skinned and cubed
  • 2 tablespoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder (more if you like it hotter, I do but Roy could only take it so far)
  • 1 tablespoon chilli flakes (same as above)
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 20g butter (or ghee)
  • 2 1/2 cups water
  • 1 tablespoon unrefined sugar
  • salt and black pepper to taste
  • Some chopped fresh coriander to garnish (optional)
Method:
  1. Heat butter and olive oil in pot. When oil is hot, but not smoking hot, add the chopped onions and carrots and fry for 5 - 7 mins.
  2. Add the garlic and fry for another 5 mins until onions and carrots are slightly browned.
  3. Add canned tomato, tomato puree, chopped fresh tomato, all the spices, sugar and water. Stir and cook for 5 mins and bring it to a boil.
  4. Reduce fire to low and simmer for 20mins. Stir every 5 mins or so.
  5. Add the red beans, and cook for another 5-10 mins, with the lid on. Add salt and pepper.
  6. The carrots should be tender by now. Test taste and adjust seasoning to your liking.
  7. Let cool for 10 mins.
  8. Transfer half of the soup into a blender and blend for 2 mins.
  9. Pour it back into the pot and stir. You want the soup to be creamy and with chunky bits at the same time.
  10. Serve it hot, garnished with freshly chopped coriander (it makes a lot of difference!) Best eaten with crusty bread, or steamed rice.