Bulgarian Bean Soup - Bob Chorba
The Bulgarian Bean Soup, known as Bob Chorba, is a hearty, delicious and full-of-aromas comfort meal, gluten-free and vegan-friendly. The soup can be prepared with dry or canned beans. It’s an easy, nourishing and budget-friendly dish.
Equipment
- 1 heavy-bottomed pot
- 1 small pan
Ingredients
For the soup
- 2 cans large beans cannelloni or butter beans work best
- 1 large carrot cut into medium-sized cubes
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 10 garlic cloves cut into large chunks
- 2 red chillies or 1 sweet red pepper, diced
- 4 spring onions finely sliced
- 1 large ripe tomato cut into small cubes
- 1 bunch lovage chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon chilli flakes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 litres stock
- 1 tablespoon dried spearmint or a small bunch of fresh spearmint
- salt and pepper for seasoning
For the thickening agent
- 60 ml olive oil
- 1 tablespoon plain flour
- 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
Instructions
- To make the soup with dry beans, soak the beans overnight and change the water a few times when boiling the beans to remove the toxins in them. Simmer the beans for 1-2 hours until they are nearly soft. Keep the stock. Alternatively, use canned beans.
- Heat a couple of teaspoons oil and sauté the chopped onion for a couple of minutes in it until they are translucent. Add the chopped garlic, carrots, red sweet pepper (or chilli) and spring onion. Sauté the vegetables for a few minutes, then add the par-cooked beans, stock and all dry spices to the pot. Reduce the heat and let the soup simmer for 20 minutes.
- Drop the chopped lovage in the pot with the soup. If using fresh herbs, chop them and add them to the soup too. Let the soup simmer for 10 more minutes with the fresh herbs, then add the chopped tomato. Season with salt and let the soup simmer for further 10 minutes.
- To make the thickening mixture, heat 60 ml of oil in a small pan. Add the flour and sauté it for a couple of minutes. Stir continuously. Add the sweet paprika and sauté it with the flour for 30 seconds. Stir. Add a few spoonfuls of stock from the soup to the pan with the flour. Break any lumps of flour left, then transfer the thickening mixture in the soup. Stir to combine and simmer the soup for final 2-3 minutes.
- Garnish the ready bean soup with freshly cracked pepper and chopped fresh parsley and serve it hot.