Red Curry Carrot Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola oil
6 large carrots, peeled, 4 thickly sliced, 2 cut into fine matchsticks
2 slices peeled fresh ginger
1 onion, finely chopped
4 cups chicken stock or 4 cups vegetable stock
2 cups water
1/3 cup unsweetened coconut milk
3/4 teaspoon red curry paste
salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 scallion, chopped
1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

Preparation

Heat the oil in a large saucepan or stockpot.
Add the sliced carrots (not the matchstick carrots) and ginger and sautee over medium-high heat, until the carrots are crisp-tender and lightly browned, about 6 to 7 minutes.
Add the onion and cook until softened but not browned, about 2 minutes.
Add the stock, water, coconut milk and curry paste to the saucepan and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer over until the carrots are tender, about 25 minutes.
Strain out the solids, reserving the liquid; discard the ginger.
Transfer the carrots to a blender and puree with 1 cup of the cooking liquid until very smooth.
Return the puree to the cooking liquid.
This can also be done with a stick blender if you have one and will be much easier- just remove the ginger and puree in the pot.
Add the carrot matchsticks and cook until tender, about 3 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Serve hot, garnished with the scallion, cilantro and basil.
For Vegetarian use Vegetable stock.