Want To Perk Up Carrot-Ginger Soup? Use African Spices

Marie Kacouchia's recipe for a warm bowl of Creamy Carrot-Ginger Soup can be tailored with cacao, soumbala and chile powders.

Recipe by Marie Kacouchia, Photographs by Fatou Wagué

There’s nothing better than a warm bowl of soup in the winter.

My tip is to spice up your everyday dishes with African spices. Cacao, soumbala, chile powders—explore the possibilities, and don’t be afraid to innovate. In this soup, I use the subtle heat of ginger and the smoky flavor of cumin. Just before serving, add a few sprigs of cilantro or parsley or a few roasted cashews. It’s a real treat!

Recipe


Creamy Carrot-Ginger Soup

(Serves 4)

  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil 
  • 1 red onion, chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon minced ginger 
  • 5 carrots, peeled and sliced
  • Salt
  • Black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 cups (480 ml) vegetable stock
  • 1 cup (240 ml) coconut milk
  • 4 cilantro or parsley sprigs (optional) 
  • Roasted cashews (optional)

Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Sauté the onion, garlic and ginger until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots and sauté until soft, 10 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper, then add the cumin. Pour in the vegetable stock and simmer over low heat until reduced by one-third, 20 minutes.

Blend with a blender or immersion blender, then stir in the coconut milk until creamy. Top with cilantro, parsley or cashews, if desired.


 

Reprinted with permission from:
Vegan Africa: Plant-Based Recipes From Ethiopia to Senegal
Marie Kacouchia. The Experiment, LLC, 2022. Theexperimentpublishing.com

 

Marie Kacouchia is a young Parisian who embraces the cultural references of her two homelands: France and the Ivory Coast. Passionate about cooking, Kacouchia says her goal is to promote this singular culture of hers, between the culture of origin and that of the host country, through cuisine that is essentially mixed. She lives in Paris, France.

 

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