Making Chilean style bean soup

Place beans in a bean pot, preferably stoneware or enamelware with 3 times their volume of cold water (1 cup beans, 3 cups water). This is a clay bean pot from Chile. Credit: C.Cancler

Place beans in a bean pot, preferably stoneware or enamelware with 3 times their volume of cold water (1 cup beans, 3 cups water). This is a clay bean pot from Chile.
Bring water to a boil over medium high heat. The skins will wrinkle as the water heats up.
While the beans are getting tender, toast and grind the spices (here, coriander and cumin seed and dried oregano). Mexican oregano is stronger than Greek or Mediterranean style oregano, so is especially suited to flavoring bean dishes.
Salt and acid foods like tomato prevent beans from becoming tender. Be sure the beans are starting to soften before adding these foods. Add the vegetables and spices and simmer slowly until the beans are tender, usually 1-2 hours.
Serve bean soups with roasted potatoes or dairy such as cheese, sour cream, or yogurt. Sprinkle with fresh herbs or serve with pickled vegetables (like pickled jalapenos). Use thick bean soup as a bed for grilled sausage, chicken, or fish.
Boil beans for 2 minutes, turn off heat, cover, and let stand 1 hour. This is called “quick soaking”. Quick soaked beans can be cooked in the boiled soaking water, rather than discarding it and starting with fresh as when beans are soaked in cold water.
After 1 hour of soaking, the beans will be plumped and larger, but still very firm. Bring to a simmer and cook until beans begin to become tender, usually 30-60 minutes. Fat can be added to flavor the beans, but no salt or acid which delays cooking.
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