Aduki Bean, Chestnut, and Pumpkin Soup with Gremolata

‍Ingredients:

• 1 cup of soaked aduki beans
• ¾ cup of soaked chestnuts
• 30 cm of kombu
• 1 small pumpkin
• 2 onions
• 2 large summer carrots or one large winter carrot
• 1 leek
• Bay leaf
• Savory (or substitute with thyme/rosemary)
• Pure water
• Ginger juice – a thumb-sized piece of ginger
• Sea salt (or shoyu, tamari, herb salt, vegetarian bouillon powder, and/or prepared vegetable or beef broth)
• Gremolata: see the recipe on the blog

‍

Instructions:

Preparation of ingredients:

• Drain the soaked aduki beans and chestnuts.
• Rinse and cut the kombu into pieces.
• Peel and cut the small pumpkin into cubes.
• Peel and finely chop the onions.
• Wash and cut the carrots into thick slices.
• Clean the leek and slice it thinly (use both the white and green parts).
• Grate the ginger to extract the juice (press the grated ginger to get the juice).

Cooking the beans and chestnuts:

• In a large pot, place the soaked aduki beans and chestnuts, add the pieces of kombu, and cover with pure water.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the beans and chestnuts are tender.

Preparing the vegetables:

• While the beans and chestnuts are cooking, sauté the onions in a pan with a bit of oil until translucent.
• Add the carrots and leek, and sauté for a few more minutes.
• Next, add the pumpkin cubes, bay leaf, and thyme or rosemary (if replacing savory).

Assembling the soup:

• Once the beans and chestnuts are cooked, add the sautéed vegetables to the pot.
• Add more water if necessary to cover the vegetables.
• Stir in the ginger juice and season with sea salt or shoyu/tamari to taste.
• Simmer on low heat for about 20 to 30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the flavors blend.

Adjustments and finishing touches:

• Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
• Remove the bay leaf before serving.

Energetic effects:

Aduki beans are neutral with a sweet and sour taste. They strengthen blood circulation, support blood formation, help cleanse/detoxify the body, reduce mucus production (dampness), and aid in the elimination of fluids and mucus. They primarily affect the kidneys, heart, small intestine, and digestion/metabolism (spleen/pancreas).

Chestnut is warm and sweet. It warms, enhances blood circulation, and helps build Yang and energy. Chestnut specifically targets the stomach, spleen/pancreas, kidneys, and lower back.

Kombu (seaweed) : is cold with a sweet and salty taste. It moistens, nourishes yin, purifies, cools, and strengthens the kidneys. Kombu softens hardness, transforms mucus, and aids in the elimination of fluids and mucus. Therefore, it can be effective against hard formations such as cysts and tumors. Additionally, due to its high iodine content, kombu has a specific action on the thyroid. It enhances the digestibility and cooking of legumes.

Pumpkin is warm and sweet. It strengthens energy and digestion/metabolism (spleen/pancreas). It warms, combats mucus production (and dampness), and stimulates blood circulation. The energy of pumpkin targets the stomach, spleen/pancreas, lungs, and large intestine.

Onion is warm and has a pungent and sweet taste (sweeter when cooked). It stimulates energy and blood circulation. Onion purifies, dispels cold, and fights mucus production (dampness). Energetically, onion targets the liver, lungs, large intestine, and stomach.

Leek is warm with a pungent, sweet, and sour taste. It warms and strengthens energy and blood circulation. It acts on the liver, lungs, stomach, and spleen/pancreas. The slightly sour taste helps retain energy. The green part of the leek is cooler than the white part (warmer and sweeter), and the roots are the warmest and richest in minerals.

Carrot has neutral energy and a sweet taste. It is mildly strengthening, energy-building, purifying, cooling, and helps in fluid elimination. Carrot supports digestion, metabolism, lungs, and liver.

Ginger is warm, pungent, and sweet. It enhances energy and blood circulation. It warms, combats mucus production, supports stomach function and digestion/metabolism, prevents nausea and vomiting, stimulates appetite, detoxifies, and fights food poisoning. Ginger strengthens lung function, liver, heart, and uterus.

Bay leaf is warm with a pungent taste. It warms, enhances blood circulation, and supports digestion.

Savory is warm and has a bitter, pungent, and sweet taste. It dispels cold, reduces mucus, improves energy circulation, and supports digestion.

Benefits of the soup: This soup is strengthening, warming, nourishing for the blood, helps regulate blood sugar, and supports digestion/metabolism as well as the kidneys' fundamental energy. The herbs and gremolata help with the digestibility of this nourishing soup.