Rich Carrot Ginger Soup

This week, as you may have noticed, life threw the kitchen sink at me, literally. Due to a little problem with the kitchen sink, I haven’t been able to cook. I used the time as an excuse to indulge in the culinary joys of NYC and to discover new flavors. I also paid a visit to Grandma, who finally revealed the secret to this family recipe.

The soup, which I chose to reinaugurate my sink, uses a small roster of essential ingredients. Carrots, water or vegetable stock, ginger and curry combine to create a smooth, delicious mixture punctuated by that special something.  One taste of this soup and you will be hooked. I have been known to forgo dinner with my own family, even when visits are so rare, in order to run down to my uncle’s house because he has this soup on the stove.

I added my own spices and herbs to make this dish my own and enhance the natural bases upon which it is constructed. If you throw in a little thyme or cilantro, a touch of cumin and a few pinches of cinnamon, it will help to accentuate the mild flavor of the carrots and to tame the strength of the ginger. But, one essential ingredient acts as the still center of this dish–the frictionless bearing in a rotating axle. And that ingredient is……

a heaping tablespoon of all natural peanut butter!

Ingredients:

• 1 pound bag baby carrots or 1 pound regular carrots chopped
• 1 quart vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon curry
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 inch ginger root, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup of water (optional)
• 1 pinch fresh cilantro
• 1 pinch fresh thyme
• salt to taste

Directions:

In a large pot over medium flame empty the bag of baby carrots or the chopped regular carrots. Immediately cover with the vegetable broth. Add the curry, cumin, cinnamon and ginger root. Bring to a boil. Cover,  then let simmer for about 30 minutes. Add salt to taste, no more than a tablespoon. When the carrots are soft to the prongs of a fork, use a masher or an immersion blender to make the soup smooth and less chunky. For thinner consistency add the water. Serve with cilantro and/or thyme as desired.