Curried carrot soup

Ingredients

• 150g/5½oz unsalted butter
• 150g/5½oz onions, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 500g/1lb 2oz carrots, peeled and chopped into small pieces
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp Madras curry powder
• 300ml/½ pint chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
• 1 bouquet garni
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander, to serve

Method

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan and sweat the onion, garlic and carrots, with a pinch of salt, for 5-6 minutes, or until softened.

2. Meanwhile toast the cumin seeds in a dry frying pan until fragrant. Add the toasted cumin seeds and Madras curry powder to the vegetables and cook a further 2-3 minutes.

3. Add the stock, bouquet garni and 500ml/18fl oz water and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.

4. Remove the bouquet garni, then blend the soup in a blender until smooth. Pass through a sieve into a clean saucepan and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

5. To serve, ladle the soup in serving bowls and sprinkle with chopped fresh coriander.