Brazilian black bean soup

Method

1. If using dried beans, place them in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Add 1 bay leaf and bring the beans to the boil (do NOT add salt at this point). Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for approximately 1 hour until slightly underdone (they should still have some bite to them). Drain and set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and add the onion, jalapeño, capsicum, garlic and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, for a few minutes until the onion begins to soften. Add the spices, oregano and remaining bay leaf and cook for a further 1 minute.
3. Add the drained cooked or tinned beans to the pan, then pour over the chicken stock and sofrito or tomatoes. Bring to a low simmer and cook until the beans are very soft, approximately 30 minutes.
4. Transfer half of the soup to a blender and purée until smooth. Pour back into the pan and stir well. For a thinner soup, only blend one-third of the beans, and to use as a burrito or taco filling, blend three-quarters of the beans.
5. Return to the heat, then add the coriander, lime and hot sauce and cook for a further 5 minutes. Check the seasoning and adjust, if necessary.
6. Top the soup with the avocado cream or chopped avocado, pickled cabbage and a sprinkling of chopped coriander. Serve with tortilla chips on the side.