Ingredients

Aromatics (Combination of vegetables, herbs, and spices that create the foundation of the soup)

2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion ~200 g
3 carrots ~100g
3 celery stalks ~ 100g
4 – 6 Garlic cloves, chopped (see note 2)
1 – 2” knob of ginger, grated
½ to ¾ tbs cumin
½ tbs turmeric
½ – ¾ tbs coriander
½ tbs salt

Primary Elements (Vegetables that define the dish)

2 cans white beans, cannellini, navy – low or no salt variety
1 large bunch kale ~ 500g
Cooking Liquids
28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes (see note 3)
15 oz can coconut milk, full fat
4 cups water

Fresh Leafy Herbs

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

Directions

Dice onion, carrot, and celery into consistently sized pieces that fit well on a spoon and saute in olive oil until they begin to brown.

Add cumin, turmeric, and coriander and mix well with the onion, carrot, and celery mixture until fully coated.

Add fresh ginger and garlic and combine with the vegetable mixture. Be careful not to burn as you go to grab the cooking liquids.

Add whole peeled tomatoes, coconut milk, and water, and use a potato masher to break the tomatoes into smaller pieces.

Add pre-cooked beans

Now that the full volume of the soup is set, salt to fit the amount you have. (See note 1)

Simmer for 10 minutes, taste and adjust the strength of the seasoning to your liking. If the strength is OK but not well balanced, add a bit more salt. Well-balanced is when all the flavors come together and no single flavor is dominant.

Just before serving add the cilantro to the soup or distribute it onto the tops of the bowls as you serve.

Notes

When it comes to seasoning think in terms of layers. If you were to spoon soup onto a board the resulting thickness is equal to one layer. One zig-zag pass across the top of the pan using your fingers to distribute is equal to one layer. The amounts of dry herbs/spices and salt communicated in the written recipe are based on that technique and are calculated by the total volume of soup. You can add more or less and adjust after you taste the soup as described in step 6.

I prefer using fresh garlic as opposed to jarred pre-chopped or pre-peeled garlic as it retains more of its flavor. You may have used the others with good results and can certainly continue to do that with no problem, but if you want to up your garlic game go fresh.

I like to use whole peeled tomatoes as they are minimally processed, have no additives for preservation, tend to have better flavor and I get complete control over how much I want to break them up in the dish.