Pochapoor – Armenian Lenten Soup with Red Kidney Beans
Pochapoor (tail soup) is a rustic Armenian winter soup with red kidney beans. This is one of the soups served and eaten during Lent. Even though it has a deceiving “tail” in its name, it’s a true vegan dish.
What are the tails?
The tails are made from simple dough that is rolled out, cut, dried and roasted. For this soup I pan roasted whole wheat orzo pasta. The toasting adds more structure and prevents the pasta from absorbing too much liquid and disintegrating.
What else goes into this red kidney bean soup?
Beans:
Red beans, but I typically use kidney beans; any bean will work. I like cooking my own beans but canned beans also can be used.
Vegetables:
To make the vegetable broth rich, and to complement the beans, you can use any vegetables. Diced onions, carrots, celery are staple vegetables, but I use turnips for this recipe. Feel free to add other hearty vegetables that complete red beans.
Walnuts:
Walnuts give this soup another dimension. The nuttiness gives the rustic soup an unexpected richness.
Garlic:
Chopped garlic awakens the taste senses and also give a homey feeling.
Cilantro:
Brightens the soup and gives it fresh and earthy notes.
I create a dry pesto with parsley, garlic and walnut and serve on a side. The pesto can be added to the soup after you serve it.
Pochapoor – Tail Soup (Armenian Lenten Soup)
Ingredients
- ½ cup orzo or pasta toasted
- 2-3 tablespoon oil
- 1 carrot diced
- 1 turnip diced
- 1 celery diced
- 1 onion diced
- 1 garlic cloves finally minced
- 2 can red kidney beans rinsed
- 2 cups water or vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoon walnuts chopped and toasted
- 1-2 teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper
Pesto
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup walnuts toasted
- 1/4 cup cilantro
Instructions
- Place a dry frying pan on the stove and preheat it. Add the a pasta and stir it constantly. You want pasta evenly and lightly browned but not burnt.
- Once the pasta is nicely toasted, remove from the pan and let it cool on a plate.
- Heat the oil in a pot over the medium heat. Add the onions and saute for 3-4 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the rest of the vegetables and continue to stir. After 4-5 minutes add the minced garlic and cook of a few seconds.
- Pour in the beans and add the water or stock.
- Season with salt and pepper, cover, and let come to a boil.
- Once the soup stars boiling, add the toasted pasta and give it a good stir, cover the pot and cook until the pasta is cooked 10-15 minutes.
- Add the walnuts and chopped cilantro. Adjust the seasoning if needed.
For Pesto
- On a cutting board, mince the garlic. Next to it, chop the cilantro and walnuts.
- With your knife: bring garlic, cilantro and walnuts together. With a rocking motion, chop until they are uniformly cut and combined.
- Serve separately with the soup.