Foodie Thursday

by Jane Hughes fromSoup for Syria - Recipes to Celebrate our Shared Humanity. Collected & photographed by Barbara Abdeni Massaad (Pavilion Books)<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

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I find making soup very grounding – it’s about turning scraps into something nourishing & in the process taking care of yourself & others. I’m humbled by the thought that one of my soup recipes could make a difference to Syrian refugees & glad to be a part of this project.

Serves 4

Prep time: 15 mins

Cooking time: 35-40 mins

Ingredients

1 tsp vegetable oil

2 small onions, diced

3 small carrots, peeled & diced

4 celery sticks, diced

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 jalapeño pepper, deseeded & finely chopped

1 tbsp cocoa powder

1 tbsp ground chipotle powder (or grind it from dried chipotle)

1 tsp ground cumin

3 medium sweet potatoes, diced

450g tomatoes, diced

1 litre vegetable stock

800g canned or cooked black beans, drained & rinsed

Zest & juice of 1 lime

1 tsp salt, or to taste

Fresh coriander, to garnish

Method

Warm the oil in a large pan & gently fry the onions, carrots & celery for 5 mins.

Stir in the garlic, jalapeño, cocoa, chipotle & cumin & cook until fragrant, about 3 mins.

Add the sweet potatoes, stir together well & cook for a further 3 mins.

Add the tomatoes & stock, bring to the boil then reduce the heat & simmer, covered, for 25 mins or until the sweet potatoes are tender.

Add the beans, lime zest & juice & heat through.

Taste & season with salt to your liking.

Garnish with fresh coriander.