Persian New Year Noodle Soup

• 1/4 cup dried chickpeas
• 1/4 cup dried navy beans
• 1/4 cup dried red kidney beans
• 14 cups cold water
• 3 large onions, peeled and thinly sliced
• 5 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 cup lentils
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped chives or scallions
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
• 1 cup coarsely chopped parsley
• 6 cups fresh spinach, washed and chopped, or 3 cups frozen spinach, chopped
• 1 fresh beet, peeled and diced in 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 pound Persian noodles, available in Middle Eastern specialty food stores, or linguine, broken in half
• 2 tablespoons wine vinegar or to taste
• 1 onion, peeled and thinly sliced
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup fresh mint, chopped

1. Soak chickpeas, navy beans and kidney beans in 2 cups of water for 2 hours.
2. Drain.
3. In a large pot, brown the onions and garlic in the oil over medium heat.
4. Add the salt, pepper, and turmeric, and saute for 1 minute more.
5. Add the soaked beans and saute for 3 minutes, coating the beans with the oil and spices.
6. Add the remaining 12 cups of water, and bring to a boil, skimming off the foam as it forms.
7. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 45 minutes.
8. Add lentils and beef broth, and simmer 50 minutes more.
9. Add chopped chives or scallions, dill, parsley, spinach and the beet.
10. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour, or until beans are tender.
11. Correct seasonings, and add more water if soup is too thick.
12. Add noodles, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
13. Stir in the vinegar, and mix well.
14. To prepare the mint garnish, brown the onions and the garlic in the oil in a small skillet.
15. Remove from heat; add turmeric, salt and mint, and mix well.
16. Ladle soup into the bowls, and top with the mint garnish.

chickpeas, dried navy beans, dried red kidney beans, cold water, onions, garlic, vegetable oil, salt, freshly ground pepper, turmeric, lentils, beef broth, chives, dill, parsley, fresh spinach, fresh beet, noodles, wine vinegar, onion, garlic, vegetable oil, turmeric, salt, fresh mint

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/4988 (may not work)