Spicy black bean, apple, and watercress soup

Ingredients

1/2T garam masala
1/4 cup scallions, finely chopped
1/4t coarse sea salt
1T fresh garlic, minced
1/4t dried red chilis (or to taste)
1 sweet apple, cored, cut in 1/2″ dice or so (I use gala)
1T lemon juice
4 cups vegetable stock
1T sriracha (or to taste)
1/4 cup tomato passata (or puree)
2 cups cooked black beans
1 cup chopped watercress
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
Coarse sea salt and black pepper or more chili to taste

Optional: Spinach, chard and kale will all work in place of the watercress, but none will complement the apple quite as well. If you use canned beans, drain and rinse thoroughly and add a little dried kombu with the stock. Remove before adding the watercress.

Method

Warm a large pan with a lid on medium heat. Toast the garam masala for about a minute or until the spices are fragrant. Add the scallions, sea salt, garlic and chili. Stir fry for 2 minutes. Add the apple. Stir fry for another 3 minutes. Add the lemon juice and deglaze the pan (if necessary).

Add the vegetable stock, sriracha, passata, and beans. Bring the pan to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer about 5 minutes. Uncover, add the watercress and stir to combine. Season to taste. Ladle out, garnish with nutritional yeast and serve.