Curried carrot & coconut soup

Ingredients

For the soup

• 60ml coconut oil
• 3 shallots, diced
• 5cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 lemongrass stalk, cut into 7.5cm pieces
• 1.4kg carrots, peeled and sliced 2cm thick
• 765g coconut milk
• 100-130g Thai red curry paste, or to taste
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 720ml chicken stock, plus extra for thinning

For the garnish

• 115g salted peanuts
• 55g dried desiccated coconut flakes
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 8 small dried red chillies, such as chiles de árbol, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
• 1 tbsp minced lemongrass
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 10 makrut lime leaves, thinly sliced
• A handful of Thai basil leaves
• 2-3 limes, quartered

Method

Adjust an oven rack to the centre position and preheat to 150°C.

To make the soup, melt the oil in a large casserole over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the shallots, ginger, lemongrass pieces and a generous pinch of salt.

Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are tender and just starting to brown, about 18 mins.

Increase the heat to high and add the carrots, coconut milk, curry paste, fish sauce and chicken stock. As the soup comes to a boil, partially cover the pot and reduce the heat to keep the liquid at a gentle simmer. Cook the soup for about 25 mins, until the carrots are completely tender.

Meanwhile, make the garnish. In a medium bowl, combine the peanuts, coconut flakes, fish sauce, chillies, oil, lemongrass, sugar and lime leaves. Spread the mixture out on a baking tray in a single layer. Bake for 18-10 mins until the coconut is a deep golden brown, stirring every 3 mins after the first 10. Remove from the oven and pour the mixture immediately into a bowl to prevent overcooking. Stir to combine and set aside.

Remove the soup from the heat and discard the lemongrass. Use a stick blender to puree the soup. (Alternatively, transfer it in batches to a blender or food processor.) Taste and adjust for salt and curry paste. Add more stock or water to thin the soup to the desired consistency.

Thinly slice the Thai basil leaves and arrange on a small plate or platter, along with lime wedges and the peanut mixture. Serve the soup hot with garnishes.

Image: Aya Brackett

From Good Things: Recipes to Share with People You Love by Samin Nosrat (Ebury Press)