Poudre de Colombo Carrot Soup
- Details
A word of advice from a novice gardener: Carrots are much bigger than carrot seeds. Somehow, fifty-odd square feet of garden space doesn’t seem like that much when it’s being planted, but it can produce a surprising haul, most especially in the carrot department. Praise be that carrots are delicious, so their being excessively plentiful is a problem I’m thankful to have! This soup is hearty and delicious, made velvety by the soft puree of carrots, and from the toasted rice in the Poudre de Colombo curry. We’ve dressed it up a little with the prawns, but this soup can easily be made vegan by omitting them and using red miso paste in favor of the Worcestershire powder.
Poudre de Colombo Carrot Soup
Ingredients
- Olive oil, for sautéing
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1.5 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
- 1.5 lbs. carrots, peeled and chopped
- 3 cups chicken, vegetable, or seafood stock
- 3/4 cups mild, dry white wine
- 1 California bay leaf
- 1/4 cup ground Poudre De Colombo Curry
- Sel de mer or Maldon flake sea salt
- 1 can coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire powder
- Juice of 1 lime, plus wedges from 1 more for serving
- Pinch of brown or raw sugar
- Freshly picked cilantro leaves for garnish
- 12 prawns
- 1 Tablespoon Hungarian paprika
- 1 Teaspoon Indian cayenne
Instructions
- Heat oil, and sauté onions, garlic, ginger, and carrots for five minutes. Deglaze with wine, and reduce until pan is nearly dry
- Add stock, bay leaf, and 1 tablespoon of the curry, cover, and simmer until carrots are very tender, about 15 minutes.
- Remove bay leaf. In a food processer or blender, puree soup until smooth. Work in small batches for best results, adding in the coconut milk to aid in the blending. Strain the processed soup through a wire mesh strainer in to a clean pot, and return the mixture to the stove over low heat.
- Add the remaining coconut milk, Worcestershire powder, sugar, and curry, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired seasoning level is reached. Add lime juice, and adjust for salt.
- Rub prawns with paprika and cayenne, and grill or sear them.
- Ladle soup in to bowls, and garnish each with two prawns, a wedge of lime, and a few leaves of cilantro.
Notes
If you're short on time, or you perhaps planned your garden space better than I did, and therefore the creative utilization of carrots is not a pressing issue for you, a can of pumpkin puree is an excellent substitution.
Heavenly Béchamel and More Fun with Mace Blades
Of the five classic French “mother sauces,” béchamel gives us some of the most rich small sauces. Although béchamel may be the most simple to prepare, that doesn’t mean it can’t also show off some pretty …
Chermoula
Afro-Vegan by Bryant Terry is the World Spice Cookbook Club selection for May. We are whipping up his incredible Chermoula recipe! Chermoula is a versatile marinade combining fresh herbs with dried spices, oils and citrus to create …
Advieh-Spiced Persian Meatballs
Lamb is the perfect pairing for our version of the signature Persian spice blend, Advieh, and this easy meatball recipe will have a flavor feast on your table in no time. You can serve them …
Roasted Quail Feast for Valentines Day
Exotic. Aromatic. Romantic. We prepared this intimate feast with a table for two in mind. Using Ras El Hanout, which contains a hint of Moroccan rose petals, succulent quail are pefectly roasted and finished with a finger …
10 Spice Vegetable Soup with Cashew Cream
The timing is perfect! As spring beckons and we are craving healthier fare, what better way to welcome the weather than with this spice-centric soup from one of our new favorite cookbooks, The Oh She Glows Cookbook: …
Leave a Comment