Moroccan Bean Soup

I absolutely love the Watties Moroccan Bean Soup that you can buy from the supermarket so thought I would have a go at making my own. It's perfect for taking for lunch and dinner with a big hunk of home made bread when I am on a 12 hour shift.

It's not authentic Moroccan fare by any means, but I love the blend of flavours in this soup. In fact it is even unusual that I have made two Moroccan meals in such a short space of time. I am more likely to whip up Indian or Asian meals than Moroccan.

So I used the No Knead Spelt Bread recipe that is fast becoming a favourite in this house. It was such a glorious sunny day yesterday that it took no time at all for it to rise and I got 2 big loaves out of it. While that was rising I cooked the beans and prepared the rest of the ingredients. The beauty of this soup is that you can add whatever beans or vegetables you like. I would have liked to added red pepper too, but given the cost of them at the moment, that was not an option! I probably would have put some ground cardomom in too, if I had had any. I like my soups thick and chunky too, so you can add or decrease the water to suit your own taste. It was very yummy, and I will definitely be making this again. It does make a large amount, but knowing this household, it will be gone in a couple of days!!

Moroccan Bean Soup
1 cup dried baby green lima beans
1 cup dried pink beans
2 cups red lentils
2 cans Watties Moroccan tomatoes
1 can plain tomatoes
1 can whole kernel corn
2 onions
2 sticks celery, finely chopped
2-4 garlic cloves
1 tsp crushed ginger
2 tsps sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 cups water

Cook the beans according to the type of bean. I soaked mine overnight and then cooked them for a couple of hours. The baby green beans cooked more quickly than the pink beans.

Cook the diced onions in a little oil until they are soft. Add the celery and cook a little longer.

Add the crushed garlic, ginger and spices and cook until fragrant.

Add the tomatoes, corn, washed lentils, sugar, salt and extra water and cook until lentils are soft and soup has thickened.

Garnish with freshly chopped coriander (cilantro).

Serve with crusty home made bread.