Black Bean Soup

Staple soup common in Central America and Mexico. Especially good with fresh cilantro. Can also use or mix with red or pinto beans. Serve with rice and beans. Use a spice grinder (spare coffee grinder) to grind whole spices and chili peppers. And use a stick blender to blend soup in the pan.

Ingredients
BASE
1/2 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery
1/2 red pepper, chopped (or paprika)
SPICE
2 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon cumin, ground
1/2 tsp oragano
1 bay leaf
1 New Mexico dried chili pepper, ground
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper (6 peppercorns)
MAIN

1 plum tomato, chopped

2 cups black beans (separate and blend 1/2 of beans) reduce?
1 cups water (or veggie stock, or even chicken stock)
FINISH
2 tbsp fresh cilantro

Preparation
In pot, brown chopped onions, 5 min.
Using spice grinder, measure and grind whole cumin seed, bay leaf, oregano and chili pepper pod.
To pot with brown onions, add and celery, red pepper, tomato, garlic and spices, and saute additional 5 minutes.
Add black beans, can juices, and water. Bring to boil, turn down heat and simmer, 20 min.
Remove from heat and let cool.
Use stick blender to partially blend, so that soup is partially creamy and still has some whole beans and chopped vegetables.