CAULIFLOWER SOUP WITH SAFFRON, LIME AND EDAMAME

There is no need to spend a fortune on tubs of readyshelled edamame beans, which all too often are less than fresh once that nascent bright green starts to fade. Soya beans are one and the same thing as edamame, and you can pick up a bag of frozen ones for next to nothing.

Preparation 20 minutes Cooking 20 minutes Serves 6

25G COCONUT OIL

600G-700G CAULIFLOWER FLORETS (1 EXTRA-LARGE CAULI) 3 BANANA SHALLOTS, PEELED, HALVED LENGTHWAYS AND SLICED SEA SALT

100G COCONUT YOGURT

TO SERVE

150G FROZEN EDAMAME OR SOYA BEANS

2 SPRING ONIONS, TRIMMED AND FINELY SLICED FINELY GRATED ZEST OF 2 LIMES, PLUS 3 TBSP LIME JUICE 1 TSP SESAME OR RAPESEED OIL

DICED FLESH OF 1 AVOCADO

A PINCH OF SAFFRON THREADS (APPROX 15)

1 TSP BOILING WATER

1 Melt the coconut oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the cauliflower florets and shallots, season generously with salt and add 100ml water. Fry for 12–15 minutes until the cauliflower loses its chalky appearance and the water evaporates, stirring occasionally. Top up with enough water (approximately 900ml) to just cover the vegetables, then bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Liquidise the soup in batches in a blender with the coconut yogurt.

2 While the soup is simmering, bring a small pan of water to the boil and cook the edamame or soya beans according to the packet instructions. Drain into a sieve, run under the cold tap and set aside to cool. Place in a medium bowl with the spring onions and dress with a tablespoon of the lime juice, the oil and a little salt, then mix in the avocado.

3 Grind the saffron in a pestle and mortar and blend with the boiling water, then stir in the remaining lime juice.

4 Serve the soup hot or cold, with a few drops of the saffronlime water drizzled over, scattered with a pinch of lime zest, accompanied by the beans.