Red Curry Carrot Soup

A great soup to warm you up over the holidays!  If you don't like things so spicy you could probably use curry powder instead of curry paste.  

Red Curry Carrot Soup

Adapted from: Food and Wine 6/99

1 tablespoon canola oil

6 large carrots, peeled (I use more)

2 slices fresh ginger

1 medium onion, finely chopped

4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1/3 cup unsweetened coconut milk (I generally use the whole can)

2 cups water

3/4 teaspoon red curry paste (this is to taste, I use about a tablespoonful but be careful, a little goes a long way)

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 scallion cut into match sticks

1 tablespoon cilantro leaves (optional)

1 tablespoon basil (optional)

Cut four (or more) carrots into thick slices, cut two into match sticks.  Heat the oil in a large saucepan.  Add the thickly sliced carrots and ginger and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until the carrots are crisp tender and lightly browned, 6 to 7 minutes.  Add the onion and cook until softened but not browned, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock, water, coconut milk and curry paste to the saucepan and bring to a boil.  Simmer over moderate heat until the carrots are tender, about 25 minutes.  Strain the cooking liquid into another saucepan, reserving the solids, discard the ginger.  Transfer the carrots to a blender and puree with 1 cup of the cooking liquid until very smooth.  (If you have a stick blender you can skip this step) Return the puree to the cooking liquid, add the carrot match sticks and cook until tender, about 3 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Ladle the soup into bowls, sprinkle with the scallion, cilantro and basil and serve.