Lenten rice soup

Prepare ingredients for lean rice soup. Place the rice in a small bowl and rinse thoroughly with warm water, changing it periodically, until it becomes clear.

Peel and chop the onion for soup. Peel the carrots and grate on a coarse grater. Cut the sweet pepper in half, remove the seeds and membranes. Cut the pulp into small cubes. Peel the potatoes, wash them, cut them into slices. Place it in a bowl of cold water to prevent it from darkening when exposed to air.

Bring 2 liters of water to a boil in a saucepan. While it is heating, add oil to the pan and place over medium heat. After 2 minutes, add onions, carrots and bell peppers. Fry over medium heat, stirring, for 7 minutes.

Place the roasted vegetables in a pot of boiling water. Add a little salt. Drain the potatoes in a colander, then add them to the pan with the vegetables and bring to a boil. Add rice. Bring to a boil again and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Add bay leaf and cook for another 5 minutes.

Remove bay leaf from pan. Taste the soup and season with salt and ground pepper if necessary. Finely chop the parsley. Pour the lean soup with rice into bowls and add a little parsley to each.