Tortilla soup (Vegetarian)

Vegetarian way of tortilla soup was shared from my friend. This is the wonderful soup I have ever tasted and such a filling soup. We indulged it for our dinner. This can be taken with some roasted bread or garlic bread and you are done with your dinner.

If using canned beans - tomatoes and frozen corn, your job is so simple. I wish I could have a oven for frying these tortillas. But to be true, even in stove top it turned out so crispier. I did not get black beans here. Try with black beans a wonderful  combination of colors with black bean, corn, color peppers and tomato puree. Do try this and leave your comments how the soup was to you :)

Ingredients:

• Tortillas - 2 , preferably whole wheat
• Color bell peppers - 1 cup, chopped finely
• Tomatoes - 3
• Sweet corn kernels - 1/4 cup
• Zucchini - 1/2 cup, finely chopped
• Onion - 1, finely chopped
• Garlic - 5 cloves, finely chopped
• Long Kidney beans or black beans - 1/4 cup
• Oregano (dry) -  1 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Red chilli peppers - 1 tsp
• Olive oil - 2 to 3 tbsp
• Salt - to taste

Method:

Roll the 3 tortillas tightly together. Chop into stripes. Heat a pan with a tbsp of olive oil and add tortillas and fry in a low medium flame until crisp or do in the oven (see notes).

Soak the long kidney beans or any bean overnite. Chop all vegetables finely. Pressure cook in a medium flame for 15 minutes. Halve the beans in two. Take the one part and mash it with the fork or using a blender make into a fine paste. Keep the whole one aside.

Heat a medium sized skillet with a tsp of olive oil and add red chilly flakes and oregano, add the bell peppers and saute. Transfer into a bowl and in the same pan saute the corn kernels with little seasoning and salt. Keep aside.

Boil the tomatoes in a sauce pan till the skin loosens. Switch it off. After it cools remove the skin and puree the tomatoes. Heat a sauce pan with a tbsp of oil and add chopped garlic and onions. Saute until it is pinkish.

Transfer the tomato puree and cook for few minutes and add red chilly flakes or ground pepper, salt, cumin seeds, oregano. Add zucchini and fry for 5 minutes. Then add the mashed beans and allow it to boil.

Transfer the bell peppers, corn and whole cooked beans. Adjust water and salt to the consistency. Switch it off.

Add chopped cilantro, if desired. Before serving the soup add the tortillas. serve immediately.

Notes:

• Instead of frying in stove top you can grill in oven which would stay crispier for longer time. In a oven safe bowl, add the striped tortillas and sprinkle olive oil on top and set the mode in grill or as per your oven/griller and fry until crisp turning in between.
• Any kind of beans(protein) can be added. This beans help you to thicken the soup. If using canned ones rinse it and puree the half of the can.
• I used fresh corn, so have to boil first with little salt and then saute. If using frozen, saute in pan.
• If you have a mexican spice, add that omitting cumin seeds, red chilly flakes and oregano.