Name: Legume (noodle) soup
Ingredients: 125g dried chickpeas, soaked in water overnight with 1 tbsp bicarbonate of soda; 125g dried butterbeans, soaked in water overnight with 1 tbsp bicarbonate of soda; 80g clarified butter; 2 large onions, thinly sliced (400g); 10 garlic cloves, thinly sliced; 1½ tsp ground turmeric; 225g yellow split peas; 2 litres vegetable stock; 35g parsley, chopped; 35g coriander, chopped; 15g dill, chopped; 100g trimmed spring onions, thinly sliced; 150g baby spinach; 100g reshteh or linguine; 150g soured cream, plus 1 teaspoon per portion to finish; 1½ tbsp white wine vinegar; 4 limes, halved; salt and black pepper

Soup Vegetarian

8 people

Featured in

My previous life must have been somewhere in old Persia. I am absolutely convinced of this. I am completely infatuated by the richness of Persian cuisine, by its clever use of spices and herbs, by the ingenuity of its rice-making, by pomegranate, saffron and pistachios, by yoghurt, mint and dried limes. It seems that my palate is just naturally honed for this set of flavours. Unfortunately, I have never been able to travel to Iran but my love affair with its food has been abundantly fed in recent years by the inspirational books of Najmieh Batmanglij. These are where I go to for a peep into a sweet, yet forbidden, culinary world. This heart-warming thick soup, called ash-e reshteh, is the Iranian answer to minestrone. It is wonderfully wholesome and nourishing and leaves a real smile on your face. I found reshteh noodles at an Iranian grocer near me but linguine would do the job just as well. You can also dispense of the noodles all together if you like. There is plenty going on, body-wise, without.

Ingredients

125g	dried chickpeas, soaked in water overnight with 1 tbsp bicarbonate of soda
125g	dried butterbeans, soaked in water overnight with 1 tbsp bicarbonate of soda
80g	clarified butter
2	large onions, thinly sliced (400g)
10	garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1½ tsp	ground turmeric
225g	yellow split peas
2 litres	vegetable stock
35g	parsley, chopped
35g	coriander, chopped
15g	dill, chopped
100g	trimmed spring onions, thinly sliced
150g	baby spinach
100g	reshteh or linguine
150g	soured cream, plus 1 teaspoon per portion to finish
1½ tbsp	white wine vinegar
4	limes, halved
	salt and black pepper

Method

Drain and rinse the chickpeas and butterbeans, bring two pans of water to the boil and cook them separately: this should take anywhere between 20 and 40 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Put the butter, onion and garlic in a large pan and place on a medium heat. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown. Stir in the turmeric, ½ teaspoon of salt and some black pepper and remove a third of this mix from the pan to use later.
Add the chickpeas and butterbeans to the pan, then add the split peas and stock. Simmer for about 35 minutes, skimming the froth occasionally, or until the peas are tender.
Add the herbs, spring onion and spinach, stir well and cook for another 15 minutes; add more stock or water if the soup is very thick. Add the noodles and cook for about 10 minutes so that they are just done. Stir in the soured cream and vinegar and serve at once, garnished with a teaspoon of soured cream per portion and the reserved cooked onion. Serve lime halves to squeeze over every portion.