Tomato and Garlic Mung Soup

Super busy lives need super easy recipes.
This soup satisfies and is sooo yummy, comforting and easy.
It features in my mom's home very often. I make only one change to her recipe. She likes to strain the mung beans and keeps them aside for salad, and I like to leave them in for a heartier concoction.

Tomato and Garlic Mung Soup

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup green mung beans soaked for 1/2 hour
• 4 cup water
• 2 cups crushed tomatoes (skinned)
• 4- 5 cloves garlic pods chopped roughly
  
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 1 teaspoon oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• salt to taste

Method
Place the mung beans and water in the pressure cooker and cook for 5 -8 minutes after the first whistle. The mung beans should be whole and not mushy. (If they do get mushy, don't worry. Just the blend everything in the end for a creamier soup)
Heat oil and butter in a separate pan. Add the cumin seeds. Once they start spluttering, add the garlic and toss till they are brown and toasted. Add the crushed tomatoes and cook for a few minutes till the water evaporates and the tomatoes are a thick paste. Add the spices and mix well. Add the tomato mixture to the mung and mix well. Cook for a few minutes till the flavors are well incorporated.
Garnish with cilantro and serve piping hot on cold winter nights.