| Prep: 15 mins | Cook: 30 mins | Difficulty: Medium | Serves: 6 |
| kcal | fat | saturates | carbs |
| 130 | 3.2g | 0.5g | 20g |
| sugars | fibre | protein | salt |
| 6g | 7g | 5g | 1.2g |
Walking the streets of New York with a cornucopia of flavors tangoing through the air is an experience I try to bring to my kitchen every single day. One such dish that straight up distills this multicultural ethos into a bowl is the Guar Soup (Broth-style Soup with Guar). Not unlike the vibrant melting pot that is NYC, this soup nods to the city’s incredible diversity and celebrates a vegtable both classic yet underappreciated: guar beans, also known as cluster beans.
A Soup with a Story
Coupling the warmth of stagecraft with my love for cooking, I see this Guar Soup as an allegory of New York’s dynamic scene – a rich blend of cultures and traditions, with each ingredient playing a vital role in improvising the final performance. There’s a stories behind the recipe that mirrors my interactions with the varied cultures of the city. Much like the diverse communities of NYC, these ingredients come from different culinary backgrounds, and when they share the same cooking space, magic ensues.
Nutritional Benefits of Guar Soup (Broth-style Soup with Guar)
But it’s not just any soup: apart from its flavorful and aromatic qualities, it’s got a boatload of health benefits. The star of the dish – guar beans – are a powerhouse of dietary fiber. They are known to aid digestion, lower cholesterol, and help manage diabetes. This high-fiber content coupled with the other nutrient-rich vegetables – tomatoes, bell peppers and onions – make this soup pretty much a superfood in liquid form. And then there’s the power-packed line-up of spices: turmeric, a well-known anti-inflammatory, ginger, good for digestion, and cumin and coriander which both offer antioxidant benefits.
This soup is similar to other hearty vegetable broths, like a classic mirepoix or a vegetable minestrone. But while these might be more familiar to a Western palate, the Guar Soup brings a burst of Eastern flavors, offering a hint of exoticism reminiscent of a trip through a bustling Asian market. It pairs wonderfully with a simple Naan bread or flatbread of your choice to soak up all its goodness.
In conclusion, the Guar Soup is a celebration of diversity, health and flavor, brilliantly embodying my love for New York’s culinary tapestry. It’s a splash of color, a dance of flavors, and one heck of a tribute to the city that never sleeps.
What You’ll Need
- 6 cups of vegetable stock
- 2 cups of guar beans (cluster beans)
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 ripe tomatoes, chopped
- 1 large bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 2 teaspoons of fresh ginger, grated
- 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon of coriander powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder (optional)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons of fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
- 1 lemon, wedged for serving (optional)
Method
Step One
Start by prepping all your vegetables. Rinse the guar beans thoroughly under cold water. Chop your large onion, ripe tomatoes, and bell pepper. Mince the garlic cloves, and grate the fresh ginger – set aside.
Step Two
Heat up the olive oil in a large pot on medium heat. Once the oil is warm, start by sautéing the minced garlic and grated ginger until they become aromatic. Be careful not to burn them.
Step Three
Add the chopped onion into the pot and cook it until it turns translucent. This should take around 3 to 5 minutes. Then, include the chopped tomatoes and bell pepper, continuing to sauté for another couple of minutes.
Step Four
At this stage, add your rinsed guar beans into the pot. Mix well with other ingredients, then introduce your spices – turmeric powder, cumin, coriander powder, and the optional chili powder. Stir them together, allowing the flavors to combine for a minute.
Step Five
Pour your vegetable stock into the pot, ensuring that it covers all the ingredients. Turn up the heat and bring the soup to a boil. Once it reaches the boiling point, reduce the heat to low, letting the soup simmer.
Step Six
Cover the pot and let the soup simmer for about 30 to 45 minutes, or until the guar beans are tender. Make sure to stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
Step Seven
When the beans are cooked to your preferred tenderness, season the soup with salt and black pepper to taste. If you wish, you can stir in the chopped fresh cilantro for added aroma and flavor.
Step Eight
Serve your Guar Soup hot. If you’d like, garnish each bowl with a lemon wedge, letting each individual add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to their serving if desired.
