Thick & Spicy Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon fennel seed, crushed
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, coarse
1 tablespoon fresh orange rind
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced
2 fresh garlic cloves, minced
1 large sweet white onion, chopped
2 large fresh shallots, finely chopped
1 - 1 1/2 tablespoon Thai red curry paste
1 tablespoon soya sauce
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cinnamon stick
3 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
28 ounces canned tomatoes, whole, crushed, undrained
1 cup canned unsweetened pumpkin puree
1 cup fresh carrot, thinly sliced
1 cup fresh white potato, diced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (garnish)
1 fresh scallion, finely chopped (garnish)
1/4 cup dried apricot, finely sliced (garnish)

Preparation

Heat oil in large pot, over medium heat.
Add fennel seeds, sea salt, orange rind, ginger, garlic, onions, shallots and fry on medium heat for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Next add the red curry paste, soya sauce and peanut butter, fry on medium heat for 1 minute, stirring constantly, don't let it burn.
Quickly add chicken stock, tomato juice, pumpkin puree, brown sugar and cinnamon stick.
Stir and bring mixture to a boil, lower heat and let simmer 20 minutes.
Add coconut milk and let simmer another 20 minutes.
Finally add the carrots, potatoes and crushed tomatoes, let the soup simmer for 40 minutes.
Once potatoes are tender, remove the cinnamon stick, taste the soup and reseason with salt and/or brown sugar if necessary, according to taste.
Pour soup into blender and puree until the soup is smooth.
Garnish with red pepper flakes, finely chopped scallions and diced apricots.
Serve immediately.