Ingredients
100g wholegrains, like Organic Einkorn Grain, Organic Rye Grain, or Organic Emmer Grain
for the soup base
3 medium onions
3-4 cloves garlic
150g cold water
20g olive oil, like Antonio's Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp ground paprika
1 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp ground black pepper
20g wholemeal flour (wheat, rye or other), like Matthews Dark Rye Flour
30g brown sugar
1 tsp salt
to finish
30g tomato paste
1 tin tomatoes, chopped
200g water
extra salt, pepper and brown sugar to taste
A rich, vibrant vegan tomato soup to suit those cold days when you need a hearty bowl of something comforting but not complicated. Here I’ve used one of the ancient grains available from BakeryBits, Einkorn, much as you would use pearl barley in a soup, but with a flavour that’s much more nutty and delicious.
Makes 2 large servings, or 4 smaller bowls
Method
Place the Einkorn or other grain in a saucepan, and wash gently to remove any dust. Cover with water, bring to the boil, then simmer for 40-60 minutes until tender to your preference (I find that 40 minutes leave then grains with a little texture, which I prefer). Then drain the grains in a colander.
Make the soup base peeling and chopped the onion and garlic, then place in a saucepan with the water, olive oil and a tsp salt. Bring to the boil, place the lid on and boil hard for about 5 minutes. Then remove the lid and boil for another 5-10 minutes just until the water has evaporated with the onions and garlic sizzling and soft (it’s ok if they brown slightly). Remove the pan from the heat and add the spices, flour and brown sugar, then stir well.
To finish the soup add the tomato paste, stir well, then and the tinned tomatoes, water and the reserved cooked grains. Bring to the boil, simmer for 5 minutes then adjust the water, seasoning and sweetness to taste. Best served hot.
