Thick and robust with just the right amount of spicy. This heart-healthy vegan soup will please everyone at the table.
All hail the pressure cooker! Once again our favourite handy-dandy appliance delivers timely tastiness to your table with flavours so complex, you’ll think this soup’s been simmering since Cinco de Mayo.
I know I have professed my undying love for pressure cookers on numerous occasions, but it’s not all fantastic foods and easy living: I do have some complaints about pressure cooking. I mean, sure it’s fast, like lightning covered in some sort of non-offensive lubricant fast, but pressure cooked food is also screaming hot. Instant blister hot. So even though your food got to the table at warp speed, it’s hard to enjoy it while applying cool compresses to the third degree burns on your tongue.
But this recipe offers a most enjoyable solution: frozen corn. Adding frozen peaches and cream kernels at the very end not only brings this yummy soup to eating temperature right quick, but also ensures the corn remains tender and sweet, not tough and gnarly like overcooked corn tends to get. Red lentils provide a roux-like thickness that makes this more meal than soup. Don’t tell Chunky we be steppin’.
Pressure Cooker Black Bean Soup
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 medium red onion, chopped coarse
- 4-6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup black beans, dry
- 1 cup red lentils, dry
- 1/3-1/2 cup short grain brown rice
- 1 cup celery, chopped
- 1 cup carrots, chopped
- 1 medium-large zucchini, diced
- 2 tsp chilli powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 2 tsp crushed dried chiles
- 1 can tomato sauce, (396ml)
- 6 cups water
- 1 cup peaches and cream corn, frozen
- cilantro and lime slices, for garnish
METHOD:
1. Although not necessary, this recipe really does benefit from a good ol’fashioned bean soaking. Place black beans in a large dish and cover with boiling water and a generous pinch of sea salt. Set aside and allow to soak for at least an hour for optimal results.
2. Add onions, garlic, beans, lentils, rice, zucchini, carrots, celery, tomato sauce, spices and water (preferably hot) to your pressure cooker. Bring to high pressure then reduce heat and cook for 34 minutes for unsoaked beans and about 22-25 minutes for pre-soaked beans. If your beans are still tough after you release pressure, simply bring back to high pressure, reduce heat and cook for 8-10 minutes longer.
3. Remove from heat and release pressure. Stir in frozen corn kernels and lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.
Serve with warm corn tortillas or how’s about a yummy vegan cornbread of sorts?
NOTES:
*You know I don’t condone non-pressure cooker owning, but if you don’t have one, you can do this the old fashioned way (you know, the ol’sauté and simmer). Substituting canned black beans will shave some time off your simmer.