Mixed bean minestrone soup (easily turned into a broth!)

Difficulty:  Easy **

(ooops, I forgot to take a photo!)

200 ml dried mixed beans
1.5 l water
1 veg stock cube
salt
4 medium tomatoes
4 cloves garlic
1 onion
3 champignon mushrooms
1/4 small zucchini
1/4 paprika
2 coriander roots (or 1 stalk celery)
2 tbsp olive oil
50 g carrot, peeled
50 g radish, peeled
Handful basil

1. Soak beans in enough water just to cover them overnight (12 - 24 hours) or use precooked beans
2. Add 1.5 litres of water, carrot, radish and stock cube to beans in a large pot.
3. Turn on heat and bring to a boil.
4. While waiting, crush and chop garlic and onions, and add to soup, along with coriander root.
5. Once water has boiled, lower heat and let boil gently under lid in medium to low heat.
6. Dice tomatoes and paprika and put them in the soup.
7. Wait around 15 minutes and slice zucchini and mushroom and add to the soup.
8. Let simmer for another 30 minutes.
9. Add salt to taste.
10. Take off heat, and remove carrot and radish and coriander root.
11. Add olive oil and fresh basil before serving.


If you'd rather have your soup as a main, and not a side or starter, then add a couple handfuls of penne in about 20 minutes after you've added the zucchini and mushroom!
Attn: P'Sally - you wanted this as a broth for kids.  Since I think msg-free stock-cubes are not easy to find in Thailand, add a couple spoonfuls of sugar and more salt instead, as well as an extra tomato.  Boil everything for longer, so it's extra soft, then strain through a strainer for the 'broth effect'.