Ash Reshteh (Persian Vegan Thick Soup)

• 240 grams garbanzo beans
• 125 grams red or common beans
• 120 grams lentils
• 120 grams mung beans (optional)
• 120 grams fresh spinach
• 100 grams fresh coriander leaves
• 200 grams spring onions
• 250 milliliters sunflower oil
• 5 tablespoons dry calamintha nepata
• 50 grams garlic (10 cloves)
• 500 grams onions ( 2 big )
• 3 tablespoons turmeric powder
• 1 tablespoon dry coriander leaves
• 1 tablespoon dry chive/spring onion leaves
• 1 tablespoon dry parsley leaves
• 1 teaspoon chili powder (optional)
• 2 tablespoons potato starch
• Pinch freshly ground black pepper
• Pinch salt
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 50 grams Persian reshteh or linguine pasta
• Persian Kashk
• Cooked beatroot (cold)

1. Prepare Legumes 12-24 hours in advanced; soak the garbanzo & beans in cold water, rinse and change the water at least 2-3 times. Let the bean's germ grow inside (but not come outside), that's a very important source of calcium. Also Soak the lentils and mung beans for 1-2 hours. Cook them in a big pot, then rinse and keep them aside for later.
2. Trim and cut all the hard stems of the parsley, spinach & coriander. It's always better to chop the herbs while they're dry; place every single bunch of herbs separately on the cutting board and then, using a sharp knife, chop the herbs to smaller pieces. Then soak them in cold water using a pasta colander and a bowl. Wash & Rinse them with cold water and set them aside for later. Trim, wash and chop all the spring onions too. (white and green parts)
3. prepare the "nanna dagh" by adding 80 ml of sunflower oil in a small pot/pan, when is hot, turn the heat off, remove the pot/pan from the flame, add 2-3 tablespoon of calamintha nepata and set aside for later.
4. Prepare the "Sir dagh" by chopping the garlic cloves in very small pieces or by slicing them very thinly, then add 80 ml of sunflower oil into a small pot/pan, when is hot, remove the pot from the flame, add the garlic into the oil and let it out of the flame for 2-3 minutes; this will help the oil get the best of the garlic's flavor. Then put the pot/pan back on the flame and let the garlic fry until very golden and almost brown. Remove from the pot and set aside for later.
5. Soak the dry coriander leaves, dry chive leaves, and dry parsley leaves together in some cold water and set them aside for later.
6. Use the same pot you used for frying the onions to make the spice mixture; add some olive oil, when it's hot, add 2-3 tablespoon of the prepared caramelized onions, 2 tablespoon fried garlic, 2 tablespoon calamintha nepata, turmeric, chili powder, potato starch, freshly ground black pepper and salt. Cook on medium heat until the turmeric and the potato starch loosen their rawness and the mixture comes together, remove from the pot for later.
7. Use the same pot, add a tablespoon of prepared caramelized onion, when it's hot add the chopped spring onions and fry them until soften and translucent, then add 1 small cup of chopped spinach and stir until soft, pour 2-3 liter of boiling water. Turn the heat off and use a blender to blend the onions and spinaches, until you have a very fine and thin mixture. This is not a traditional way to do it, but it helps a lot to thicken your soup.
8. Meanwhile add some boiling water to the kashk (if you have the tick one); stir until you're happy with the thickness.
9. For a vegan Ash-e Reshreh, serve it with the remaining fried/caramelized onion, fried garlic, fried mint, cold beetroot or some vinegar. For a vegetarian option you can also add some Kashk.

garbanzo beans, red, lentils, beans, fresh spinach, fresh coriander leaves, spring onions, milliliters, calamintha nepata, garlic, turmeric powder, coriander leaves, onion, parsley, chili powder, potato starch, freshly ground black pepper, salt, olive oil, persian reshteh, kashk

Taken from food52.com/recipes/57078-ash-reshteh-persian-vegan-thick-soup (may not work)