Express Recipes: Piping hot roasted carrot soup

Roasted carrot soup is one of my favourite winter recipes. A minimal recipe, with few ingredients, the magic of the soup is in roasted carrots. Roasting enhances the sweetness of the carrots and combined with onions, ginger and garlic; this soup is heaven in a bowl.

Preparation time: 10 mins | Cooking time: 30 mins | Serves: 2 as main and 6 as appetiser

Ingredients
1 kg carrots, sliced
2 onions, chopped
1 inch ginger, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 litre vegetable stock
1 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder
3 tbsp olive oil
Salt to taste

For garnish:
2 tsp yoghurt
Chives

Method
*Preheat oven to 200ºC. In an oven-proof dish, toss the carrots with red chilli powder and a little salt. Drizzle about 1 tbsp oil. Spread evenly and roast for about 20-25 mins till some of the carrots just begin to turn black from the sides. Stir once halfway through.

*Meanwhile, in a large pot, heat 2 tbsp olive oil. When the oil is hot, add onions, ginger and garlic. Sauté for about 5 mins, till the onions start to turn translucent. Add the roasted carrots (direct from the oven), vegetable stock and salt. Cover and bring it to a simmer.

*Reduce heat and let the soup simmer for another 10 mins, till the carrot is tender.

*Remove from heat and puree the mixture until smooth. I simply use my hand blender straight in the pot.

*To serve, add a dollop of yoghurt and a few strands of chives.