I’m a pretty good cook if I say so myself. I love cooking and find it a creative and therapeutic activity. It all started when I was a little girl helping my mom in the kitchen. She was a marvelous cook and created many mouth watering dishes and every single meal from scratch. You would not find any frozen, canned or boxed food in our house. Friday and Saturday meals were especially elaborate as we welcomed the Shabbat with a variety of salads, fish, poultry and vegetable dishes as well as baked goods. Ahh, my mom’s ‘roses’ cake was famous in our town as well as her many other creations.
I have revised many of my mother’s recipes and created my own versions of them to my and everyone’s satisfaction. But I just couldn’t get her bean soup recipe to taste like hers. I make many different versions of bean soups but I love hers, complemented with potatoes and divinely spiced, I always ask her to make it for me when I visit Israel. So on my last trip, I stood by her, with camera and notes in hand and documented, step by step what I consider to be the BEST BEAN SOUP IN THE WORLD. Make it and judge for yourself.
STEP ONE
Placed 3 cups of cooked beans (she soaked and cooked them in water in advance) and 4 large peeled and diced potatoes in a large pot, bring to a boil, cover and simmer. While the beans and potatoes are cooking, continue with the other steps.
STEP TWO
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil (she used canola, I used coconut).
Add one large onion, thinly sliced and saute until it starts to brown.
Add 1 large diced tomato and saute for a minute.
Add 1/3 cup of chopped parsley and saute for another minute.
STEP THREE
Mix all the sauteed vegetables in a blender and add to the pot of beans.
Season with:
A tablespoon of tomato paste
A teaspoon of cumin
1/4 teaspoon of cardamom
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook until the beans are soft and just start to fall apart.
Serve with a whole grain bread or with cooked rice.
Enjoy!
And please share.
