Almost Instant Creamy Carrot Soup

When simply walking down the street feels like swimming through hot, pea soup. That's the image that best describes a typical, Tel Aviv summer. You'd think that, when it's this hot 'n sticky outside, soup sales would plummet. Instead, sales of our delicious traditional chicken soup, flavorful vegetable soup, and aromatic sweet potato soup are unaffected by the season, as customers tell us that Friday night just wouldn't be the same without soup to start. If you're looking for a deliciously fragrant alternative to add to your soup repertoire, this super speedy and amazingly creamy Almost Instant Carrot Soup perfectly fits the bill. The only real preparation comes in carrot peeling - and if you scrub your produce well you can avoid even this - and the spectacular results bely the minimal effort. Whip up a potful without delay and serve with crusty bread to enjoy pure sunshine in bowl.

1 large onion, chopped 2 tablespoons olive oil 10 large carrots, peeled and cut in chunks Zest of an orange 1 tablespoon crushed coriander seeds (optional see notes) 2 teaspoons ground coriander 1 heaped teaspoon grated ginger OR one cube frozen ginger 5 cups chicken stock 1 can coconut milk Toasted pumpkin seeds to garnish (see notes) or herbs

1: Heat oil and fry onions, crushed coriander seeds, ground coriander and ginger for a few minutes till onion softens. 2: Add the carrots, grated orange zest (zest is optional but adds a lot) and stock and cook till vegetables are tender. 3: Blend the soup till smooth and then add sufficient coconut milk to achieve the correct texture.* 4: Serve with toasted seeds OR chopped coriander leaves/chopped chives on top. Serves approximately 6. COOK'S NOTES: I love using whole coriander seeds here - remember coriander seeds taste nothing like the herb - which I place in a small bag and crush lightly with something heavy before using. These are not essential but add an extra hit of flavor. I recommend only adding coconut milk once you have blended the soup so that you don't make it too thin. Toasted, spiced pumpkin seeds are wonderful on top of soup as they add both flavor and crunch. Toast shelled pumpkin seeds in a frying pan with a few drops of olive oil and a sprinkle of cumin/paprika and salt and set aside till ready. Alternatively top soup with chopped fresh cilantro OR chives.