Carrot and Coriander Soup

This spicy soup is really popular and so easy to make. If you have an abundance of carrots it freezes well too! It is perfect to serve on a cold day. Cooking the soup in milk gives it a deliciously creamy taste and why not add a little crème fraîche too?

Ingredients

1 medium onion
150g sweet potato
400g carrots
Bunch (20g) fresh coriander OR 1 x 15ml spoon-dried coriander (the herb, not ground coriander, the spice)
400ml boiling water
1 reduced-salt vegetable stock cube
400ml semi-skimmed milk
1 x 15ml spoon vegetable oil
Ground black pepper (optional)

Equipment

Weighing scales
Peeler
Chopping board
Sharp knife
Kettle
Measuring jug
Measuring spoons
Saucepan with lid
Wooden spoon
Ladle
Blender
Tea towel
Mixing bowl
Tasting spoon

Instructions

1. Peel and finely chop the onion.
2. Peel and chop the sweet potato and carrots into 1cm chunks. Keep the onion separate from the other vegetables.
3. Wash the fresh coriander (if using). Remove the leaves from the stalks and chop them both finely, separately.
4. Measure 400ml boiling water into the measuring jug. Crumble in the stock cube and stir to dissolve. Add 400ml semi-skimmed milk making the total up to 800ml.
5. Put the vegetable oil, the chopped onion and the chopped coriander stalks in the saucepan over a low heat. Stir for 2 minutes until soft. Or add the dried coriander (if using) and stir for 1 more minute.
6. Add the carrots and sweet potato then add the stock and milk mixture.
7. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer (small bubbles) for 15 minutes with a lid on so that the liquid doesn’t evaporate. Stir every 5 minutes to make sure the soup is not burning on the bottom.
8. When all the vegetables are soft, add most of the chopped coriander leaves (if using) and stir. Save the remaining chopped coriander leaves.
9. Ladle a third of the soup into the blender.
10. Holding a tea towel over the lid, blend the soup and pour into a clean mixing bowl.
11. Repeat twice more, until all the soup is blended.
12. Add ground black pepper to taste (if using).
13. Sprinkle the rest of the chopped coriander leaves over the top of the soup just before serving.

Skills used include:
Washing, weighing, measuring, peeling, chopping, blending and boiling/simmering.

Top Tips

• When blending hot soup the pressure can build up inside the blender, which is why it is very important to follow 3 rules:
  1. Never fill the blender more than half full.
  2. Always cover the lid with a thick tea towel.
  3. Always hold the lid down when the blender is on
• Before it is blended the soup will look a bit grainy where the milk has separated. Don’t worry because when it is blended it will
  become silky and smooth again.
• Coriander’s soft stalks are full of flavour so don’t throw them away.

Something to try next time

• Try swapping the carrots for other root vegetables such as parsnips or beetroot. Butternut squash is also really nice in a soup like this.
• Try making some Parmesan and Herb Muffins to eat with your soup. The recipe is on our website.

Prepare now, eat later

• Prepare the vegetables the day before and keep in sealed bags in the fridge.
• Most soups freeze well for up to 1 month. Cool quickly before pouring into a large freezer bag inside a plastic container. Once frozen the bag can be removed from the box and stored in the freezer. Defrost thoroughly before reheating until bubbling hot.