Serves 2 (recipe can be doubled)
· 3 cloves of garlic
· 4-6 spring onions. White and green parts separated and sliced.
· 1 white onion
· Olive oil
· Chilli flakes or fresh chilli
· Turmeric
· Dried mint
· Coriander stalks (optional)
· Dill, 2 handfuls roughly chopped.
· 1 tin of butter beans (or chickpeas, or any bean really)
· Small pasta- such as macaroni, broken up spaghetti, orzo. Rice could also be used. Optional.
· Stock powder/cube
· Salt
· Pepper
· Lime juice (fresh or from a bottle)
· ½ head of broccoli
1. Pre-heat the oven to its maximum temperature.
2. Take the broccoli and slice roughly, cutting again to make spoon-sized chunks (they can be irregular shapes). Add to a bowl and coat with a little oil. Put on a baking tray in the hot oven for around 20 minutes, or until browned (some parts will be crisper than others- that’s fine).
3. For the soup, thinly slice the garlic and spread in a layer in a large pan. Cover with cold olive oil and slowly heat the pan until the garlic starts to brown. Add 1tsp of turmeric, 1tsp of chilli flakes and the chopped white parts of the spring onion. Cook for 1-2 minutes. If using, also add a handful of coriander stalks (thinly sliced).
4. Add 1 tbsp of dried mint and 1 tin of butter beans (including water). Add another 400ml of cold water. Add 1tsp of stock powder and bring to a simmer.
5. Once simmering, add a couple of handfuls of pasta or rice (if using) and simmer until cooked. Add more water if necessary.
6. Meanwhile, slice the white onions thinly. Add to a frying pan with salt and oil. Cook on a low/medium heat until they are softened. Once soft, increase the heat to brown the onions. This will take about 15 minutes. Don’t worry if some of the onions dry out or become crispy, they will be rehydrated in the soup. This part is optional but it makes a nice addition to the soup.
7. Once the pasta in the soup is cooked, add the green parts of the spring onions and the chopped dill. Chopped coriander leaves can be used to. Warm though.
8. Add 2 tbsp of lime juice and taste the broth. Add pepper. Add salt if needed. Adjust flavour by adding more dried mint, lime juice, dill or chilli.
9. To serve, add crispy onions and roasted broccoli to a bowl and cover with the hot broth.