Carrot, Coriander and Tahini Soup

Hi guys!

So it's monday and I want to make good on my promise from thursday and provide you with lots of new recipes the following weeks. As the weather is still rainy, stormy and cold in Switzerland, I was craving soup. Probably the last one of the season, but Donna Hay provided me with just the right recipe and I happened to have all the ingredients at home... The recipe is from the latest edition of the donna hay magazine and here it is:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 brown onion
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon ground coriander (cilantro)
400g carrots
1 litre chicken stock (or vegetable stock to make it vegetarian)
sea salt and cracked black pepper
1 x 400g can chickpeas
1/4 cup (70g) tahini paste
greek-style natural yoghurt (optional)
shredded mint leaves and toasted bread, to serve

1) Chop the onion, peel and chop the carrots. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. 

2) Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and crushed garlic and cook for 4-5 minutes or until softened. Add the coriander and carrot and cook for a further 1-2 minutes.

3) Add the stock, salt and pepper and increase heat to high. Bring to the boil and cook for 10-12 minutes. Add the chickpeas and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.

4) Remove from the heat and stir through the tahini paste. Using a hand-held electric blender, blend until smooth.

5) Top with yoghurt and serve with mint and toasted bread.

Serves: 4-6
Active preparation time: 10 minutes
Total preparation time: 25 minutes
© Copyright: Donna Hay, donna hay magazine autumn (april/may 2013) , "what we're trying: tahini paste"

Here's how mine turned out:

I opted to make the soup vegan by omitting the yoghurt and, of course, using vegetable stock instead of chicken stock. The soup is super easy to make and the added tahini paste and chickpeas make it more satisfying and richer than average carrot soup which I love as I don't crave food shortly after. Tastewise, the combination of the sweetness of the carrot blends beautifully with the earthy and a bit salty taste of tahini paste. The chickpeas make the soup deliciously creamy. I added quite a bit more water to thin the soup, but it's up to you and your personal preference to adjust the liquidity. 

Have fun trying and maybe you can enjoy better weather and warmer temperatures!