Spicy Carrot Soup with Lemongrass Curry Ginger
GORGEOUSLY VELVETY
Happy Hump Day you guys! We’ve been having great weather the last few days here in Denver. (Sorry my friends in the East Coast). It’s wonderful, therefore my spring fever has kicked into high gear. Yep, spoiled 🙂
Well, besides the fact that the Broncos are going to the Super Bowl, or that I longed to have a meal with a natural orange hue in it, or the fact that when I found this recipe, my mind could totally taste its incredible flavor already. Either way, I couldn’t wait to try it! And friends, my crazy mind was once again right 😀 It was awesome! Kudos to you, Amy Chaplin! I love your book, At Home in the Whole Food Kitchen: Celebrating the Art of Eating Well
Okay, I’m not going to be subtle about encouraging you to make this liquid diet. Besides the many times I said that it’s great — here’s bonus number one: it makes your place smell wonderful! Bonus number 2: it’s hearty enough that you don’t even need bread, or salad to anchor it down. Bonus three: it’s so packed with maximum nutrition for your body! Are you excited yet?
I know I’m not a nutrition expert, and you know if you have a lot of time on your hands to google what kind of nutrients you’re getting out of this soup — go for it. The anti inflammatory turmeric. The chalked full of vitamins from carrots. The medicinal use of ginger. The heart healthy cilantro. The immune booster coconut milk and so on. This is what I’m talking about guys. Let’s start to eat something that our body can totally benefit from besides just taste.
I haven’t always preferred clear soups over creamy ones. Growing up, my super health conscious mom would always remind us to not be ‘greedy’ (I’m using a direct translation of Indonesian word: rakus) with cream. But in this case, knowing what’s in this flavor explosion soup, I’m all for it! The creaminess coming from the coconut milk is not only lactose-free, but cholesterol-free as well. The layer of flavor with a hint of spiciness (which gives a nod to south east Asia cooking), livens up the taste of this otherwise mundane soup.
So, here it is guys: Carrot Soup with Lemongrass, Ginger and Turmeric. Let your body be nourished, your mind be calmed and your soul be satisfied.
Adapted from At Home in the Whole Food Kitchen: Celebrating the Art of Eating Well
- 2 stalks lemongrass, chopped in 2-inch pieces and lightly pounded
- 8 fresh lime leaves
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 medium yellow onions, diced
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 2½ tablespoons peeled and minced fresh ginger
- 2 teaspoons sea salt flakes
- 3 teaspoons curry powder
- 1½ teaspoons turmeric powder
- 3 tablespoons minced cilantro stems, reserve leaves for garnish
- 2 pounds carrots, cut into ½-inch rounds
- 6 cups filtered water
- 1 13½ fl.oz. can unsweetened coconut milk, plus more to drizzle
- 1⁄8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (*optional)
- In a piece of cheese cloth, wrap lemongrass and lime leaves, tie tightly. Set aside.
- In a Dutch oven, over medium high heat, warm butter. Caramelize onions for about 5 minutes, then add garlic, ginger and salt. Reduce the heat to medium low heat, add garlic and turmeric powder, and cilantro. Add carrots, water, coconut milk, cayenne (if using) and lemongrass lime leaves bundle. Raise heat to high and bring to a boil.
- Cover the Dutch oven, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until carrots are tender.
- Using a blender, working in batches, blend mixture until completely smooth, 1 to 2 minutes per batch.Cover with a kitchen cloth and press the blender's top lid down to prevent eruption or splatter from the hot soup. Return soup to the pot and season to taste.
- Garnish with cilantro leaves and drizzle with coconut milk.
