Carrot and Coriander Soup – A Healthy Option
Best Holiday Food for Low-Fat Hearty and Tasty Seasonal Feasting
Nov 16, 2009
With Christmas, Chanukah, and other winter festivals fast approaching, it's time to start planning the holiday meal. We often eat too much during this time so why not start with Carrot and Coriander Soup, a tasty, low-fat, healthy but hearty option, that's not too heavy or filling.
Carrots – Any Colour But Orange
Carrots have been known to mankind for at least 5,000 years and probably originated in Afghanistan.
The vegetables were grown in Europe in the 13th century and were common ingredients in medieval medicines for various diseases, including syphilis. Carrots came in various colours such as red, purple, black and white, but curiously enough – not orange.
In the 16th century botanists wrote about red and purple carrots in France, and yellow and red in England. The Dutch cross-bred the red and yellow varieties to produce the sweet orange carrot so popular today.
Carrots – An Aphrodisiac?
The Greeks knew about carrots but used them mainly for medicinal purposes, rather than as food. The vegetable they used was not the sweet, succulent orange carrot we know today.
The Romans were also familiar with carrots and ate them both raw and cooked, often dressed with olive oil and herbs. Carrots, like many other vegetables, were even thought by some ancient civilisations, to be an aphrodisiac.
Carrot and Coriander Soup – A Healthy Option
Carrots are extremely versatile and, like most root vegetables, make good soup because they pureé well. They also freeze well so it’s worth making double quantities, or larger, and storing them for future use. This low-fat, healthy, recipe serves six.
Ingredients for Carrot and Coriander Soup
- 10ml/2 tsp sunflower oil
- 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 celery stick, sliced thinly
- Leafy top of celery, washed well and sliced thinly – reserve for garnish
- 1 large potato, peeled and chopped into small cubes
- 450g/1lb carrots, washed well, sliced into rounds – young carrots are best
- 1 litre/1¾ pints/4 cups vegetable stock
- 15ml/3 tsp ground coriander
- 15ml/1 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander
- 200ml/7 fl oz/ milk – for a low-fat option choose skimmed or semi-skimmed
- salt and black pepper to taste
How to Make Carrot and Coriander Soup
- Heat oil gently in a large heavy-based saucepan
- Fry the chopped onion until slightly soft – do not brown
- Add the sliced celery and potato and cook for five minutes
- Add the sliced carrots and fry gently for a further five minutes, stirring frequently
- Cover the saucepan, reduce the heat, and cook for another ten minutes – stir occasionally so that the vegetables don’t stick to the bottom of the pan
- Add the vegetable stock, cover and simmer for another ten minutes, until the carrots and potatoes are tender and set aside to cool
- In a separate saucepan dry fry the ground coriander for about one minute stirring constantly
- Reduce the heat and add the reserved chopped celery
- Fry for about one minute and put to one side
- When cool pureé the vegetables in a food processor or blender and pour into a clean saucepan
- Add the milk and coriander mixture
- Reheat gently, adjust the seasoning if required, serve immediately garnished with the reserved celery and fresh coriander
If freezing any or all of this mixture do not add the milk and coriander mixture or seasoning. This is best done after defrosting at the time of serving.
This soup goes well with warm ciabatta or Home-Baked Bagels and Roasted Vegetables. It can be served piping hot for a winter warmer or ice cold for a summer cooler.
HOL101
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