I think my Indonesian friends would not agree with my red beans used here (aduki) as that was all I happened to have in my cupboard, not the red kidney beans normally used for this soup. I love this soup, filling, full of flavour and pretty healthy too. Growing up in Jakarta, with scorching heat, you’d think this would be the last dish you’d want to eat, as often, it’s served hot/warm, never cold, but we gorged on it for our lunch, with school uniform still on! My mum’s is still the best but mine is my own version. 
It only takes 15 minutes from start to finish;
Serves 4;
200gr minced organic beef – cooked in a small amount of water. Or you can use minced chicken done the same way as the beef. This will be the stock of the soup
4 carrots – peeled and chopped to small cubes
3 shallots – peeled and chopped to small cubes
3 large cloves of garlic – peeled and chopped to small cubes
1 stalk of celery – sliced thinly
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 lt of water or more
1 can (400gr) red kidney beans or aduki beans
salt and ground white pepper (a fair bit of this)
4 spring onions – cleaned and sliced thinly
8 cherry tomatoes – quartered
Heat up oil in a medium sized saucepan and when hot, add in shallots, garlic, carrots and celery. Sweat for about 3 to 4 minutes. Mix this into the beef/chicken stock, add in the extra water and the beans. Cook until the carrots are soft, approx 8 minutes. Serve with sliced spring onions and cherry tomato quarters.
I cooked some rice and added 3 tablespoonful to the soup to bulk it up a bit, but not necessary. I was just too hungry and it was such a cold day today.
Brought here by your comment on the Guardian and this does indeed look good although I’m a vegetarian and I can’t see that soya or quorn mince and vegetable stick can replace the beef or chicken – still may well try it anyway.
However I am truly fixated on the aubergine dish that is photographed on top – a full recipe might be giving a way a trade secret but what is that?
Hi Roger, thanks for your comment.
First of all, of course you can use soya or quorn mince in the soup, but I would suggest to add it at the last minute so not to make the soup mushy. As it happens, I had a tofu cooking demonstration in my house today and if you like tofu (not many Westerners do), you could use tofu instead. I used tofu in the red curry today which was enjoyed by everybody and they were all tofu novices!
The aubergine is my version of Imam Bayaldi, Italian style. I make Puttanesca sauce and put the sauce on top of the baked aubergine with parmesan cheese and thyme. If time is short, a jar of a very good quality “Puttanesca sauce” could be used. Make sure the aubergine is baked till soft and cooked.
I do a lot of vegetable-based recipes and if you’d like to see what’s coming in the future, just click on the”please keep me updated” button.