Bean & Lentil Chilli Soup

This bean soup is super hearty. I’d you like it really hot, add more chilli, If you like it milder, add less chilli.
The original recipe was from a newspaper cutting but I tweaked it a lot. For example, it didn’t call for celery, so you can leave that out if you are not a fan.

Ingredients (Makes about 6 litres of soup)

1. 1/4 cup Butter and 3 Tablespoons olive oil
2. 2 medium onions
3. Crushed chilli (3 TBS, or as little or as much as you can handle)
4. 5 cloves of garlic
5. 6 grated carrots
6. 6 sticks chopped celery
7. 2 cups dry lentils 
8. 3 cups boiled red beans
9. I packet (500 grams) white beans, boiled.
10. 3 cans diced tomatoes
11. 200 grams tomato paste
12. 2 Tablespoons Paprika
13. 5 tablespoons dried parsley
14. Salt to taste
15. 1 tablespoon brown sugar. 
16. 5 cups water

To cook.

1. In a large pot, melt butter and oil fry the onions till clear.
2. Add chilli, garlic and parsley and cook a few minutes.
3. Add carrots and celery and cook a few more minutes
4. Add the lentils and cook till lentils are a bit soft. 
5. Add the beans, tomatoes, paprika, and tomato paste
6. Add  water, salt and sugar .
7. If the soul is too dry, add a bit more water.
8. Simmer the soup and cook till the colour turns into a rich red. 

Garnish with fresh or dried parsley, a dollop of cream, or yoghurt, and enjoy with rice, Chapati, bread, or just by itself.
My husband likes to grind extra chilli into the soup, using that lovely grinder from our friend Greg. You can order yours here.