Black Bean Soup

 INGREDIENTS: 

• 1 cup black beans, sorted and washed and soaked overnight.
• Water for cooking the beans
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 1/4 teaspoon oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon basil
• 2-3 tablespoons ghee
• 1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon asafetida
• 1/4 t ground black pepper 
• Slices of lemon 

PREPARATION:

1. Bring the beans to a boil in about 6 cups of water. Cover and lower heat to a simmer and cook. To shorten cooking time, start the beans early in the morning with salt, a few hours before it's time to cook the meal. Bring to a boil, cover and let them sit until ready to prepare the meal. Then cook at least 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the beans are very soft.
2. When the beans are nice and soft, add the molasses and the oregano and basil.
3. Next, in a small saucepan, heat the ghee until nice and hot and add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds and asafetida and black pepper. When the mustard seeds stop popping, pour the contents into the soup.
4. Offer to Krishna with rice and a slice of lemon to squeeze into the soup.

VARIATIONS:

One teaspoon of ground coriander can be added to the spice combination and or one teaspoon of minced ginger.

Also chopped vegetables such as celery and or carrots maybe added and cooked until very soft.