Soup Sunday: taco soup

This week's Soup Sunday got off to a reckless start: I started my morning by opening a bottle of beer. Strictly for staging purposes, of course... And I can tell you all the chilli-infused fumes of this morning's cooking did wonders to my lungs - no congestion here! Much like laksa this is guaranteed to keep flu at bay!

This too is all about minimizing food waste - though this time in a totally topsy turvy manner - for the actual dish this was born out of you'll have to wait until next Friday!

In case you have aversion to shop-bought taco spice mixes, feel free to make your own. This is what I rustled out of the contents of my pantry. 

Oh, and in case you too are struggling to find ripe avocados, here's a tip I just picked up: wrap them in tin foil and bake at 100 for 10-15 minutes. Hey presto! 

Taco spice mix:

1/2 tbsp onion powder

1/2 tbsp garlic powder

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp caraway seeds, ground

3/4 tbsp cumin, ground

3/4 tbsp coriander seeds, ground

3/4 tbsp paprika

1/2 tbsp chilli powder

1/2 tbsp cayenne pepper

a little shy of 1 tsp cinnamon

a little shy of 1 tsp ground ginger

the zest of 1 lime

Serves 6

400 g mince meat

1 sachet of taco spice mix (or your own tale on it - adjust the quantities to your palate)

1 large onion

1 green pepper

1/2 red pepper

1 tbsp tomato concentrate

1/2 can of corn (á 340 gr)

1/2 can kidney beans

1 can brown beans

500 g crushed tomatos

3/4 l water

1 stock cube (chicken or beef)

suolaa, pippuria

to serve: lime juice, 2 avocados, nachos, coriander leaves and sour cream (or créme fraîche or Turkish yoghurt)

Brown the mince in a pan and add into it the spice mix. In a big pot sauté sliced onions and add chopped peppers into the mix. When they've softened a bit, add tomato paste. Then add mince, crushed tomatos and stock cube you've dissolved in boiling water. Bring to boil and add drained corn and beans. Keep cooking until everything is piping hot all the way through. Check the taste and season as needed. Divide into bowls, sprinkle over the lime juice and chopped coriander leaves. Crush some nachos on top and serve with sour cream and avocado slices - the creaminess of both helps to sooth the spiciness.

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ANYONE FOR SECONDS?