Adzuki Bean and Shiitake Mushroom Soup

Drain the adzuki beans and rinse. Place beans in pot along with the kombu and add 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, and then lower heat. Skim off the foam. Cover the pot with lid but still slightly open. Simmer until the beans are tender about 45 minutes. Strain the beans saving the liquid. Discard kombu.

Makes about 2 1/2 to 3 cups cooked beans.

Rough chop all the vegetables. You may want to cut the ginger a little bit smaller.

Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add onion, celery, carrot, ginger and garlic along with the ground coriander and cumin and sweat the vegetables for 10 minutes.

While the vegetables are cooking, dice the shiitake mushrooms. Then add these along with the cooked adzuki beans and stock to the vegetables. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat. Simmer until all vegetables are tender about 15 to 20 minutes.

Cool the soup slightly. Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth and transfer each batch to a clean pot. You may need to add more stock if desired. While soup is reheating over a low simmer, chop the cilantro and set aside.

Add lemon juice to soup and season with sea salt to taste.

Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with a dollop of yogurt, cucumber, radish, cilantro, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and some freshly cracked black pepper.