Recipe: Black Bean Soup with Chili, Coconut Milk and Lime

BLACK BEAN SOUP WITH CHILI, COCONUT MILK AND LIME

2 tbsp. sunflower seed oil or olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
1 1/2 tsp. toasted ground cumin seeds
1 tsp. ground chipotle chile (or minced chipotle in adobo to taste)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus extra for garnish
3 cups water, divided use
2 cans (15 1/2 oz. each) black beans
1 (15 oz.) can coconut milk
Sea salt
Juice of 1 or 2 limes, to taste

Heat the oil in a wide soup pot, then add the onion, cumin, chile and cilantro and cook over medium heat, stirring every so often, for about 5 minutes.

Add 1/2 cup water, lower the heat and continue cooking until onion is soft, almost 12 minutes in all.

Pour in the beans and their liquid, the remaining 2 1/2 cups water and the coconut milk. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.

Puree a cup or so of the beans and return it to the soup. (Or puree all of the beans if you prefer a smooth soup.) Season with salt and stir in the lime juice.

Serve garnished with a pinch of chopped cilantro.

Makes about 6 servings
Source: Vegetable Soups from Deborah Madison's Kitchen