This is one of my family’s favourite soups and we think it has amazing restorative powers. Whatever vegetables you use, bug beater soup seems to warm and nourish, especially if you are feeling ‘under the weather’ or a cold/flu is threatening to take hold. I invented it knowing that garlic, onions, chilli, ginger, turmeric, pepper and good homemade chicken stock all have well documented immune-boosting abilities, and we have often started to feel better a few hours after eating a good portion of this tasty soup.
You might also think of this recipe as ‘Bottom Of The Fridge Soup’ and make it even when you’re feeling perfectly well! It’s a great way to use up your remaining veggies before you go shopping. There is a very similar recipe that I called ‘Mystery Soup’ in my first cookbook Fast and Easy Cooking. Several of my friends buy whichever vegetables and salad leaves are on special offer, just to make a delicious mystery soup, and it’s a good way to eat more vegetables! Makes 1.5 litres.
This recipe is suitable for Thermomix TM6, TM5 and TM31.
Method
- Grind red lentils if using 20 sec/speed 8.
- Add garlic, onions, ginger, chilli (see 5th tip), turmeric, chicken fat and vegetables, then chop 5 sec/speed 7.
- Add 500 g stock, add TM stock paste, then cook 20 min/100°C/speed 2.
- Add pepper, then blend 1½ min/speed 5-10, gradually increasing to speed 10 over first 10 seconds, then serve and enjoy a big bowlful. If you prefer a thinner result, see 4th tip.