Carrot, Miso and Ginger Soup with Toppings

Serve 4

A great soup for the colder months. This is bound to brighten your day! I love toppings on soup so see below for some suggestions. This freezes well.

2 tbsp olive oil

2 onions, cut into wedges

800 g carrots, peeled, cut lengthways

and sliced thinly

300 g potatoes, peeled and diced 1 litre vegetable stock or water

2–3 tbsp white miso plus 1 tsp

(I like Urban Hippie’s Miso, which is made in Nelson)

2 tsp sesame oil

30 g ginger, grated

1 small finger of fresh turmeric or

½ tsp ground (optional)

1 tsp rice wine vinegar salt

Place the onions and carrot in a shallow oven dish or tray and toss with oil and some salt. Roast at 200°C for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, place the diced potatoes, vegetable stock, miso*, sesame oil, ginger and turmeric in a large pot and simmer gently while the carrots cook. After 30 minutes add in the roasted carrots and onions and simmer slightly more rapidly for a further 15 minutes with the lid ajar. You want the carrots very soft otherwise the soup can be fibrous.

Blend until smooth, adding an extra cup of stock or water if needed. Add in the rice wine vinegar – you may need a little more depending on the sweetness of the carrots, and season with salt. You can also add a little more miso here too as brands do vary.

*Miso is a fermented food. When you heat it over 45°C it destroys any beneficial probiotics. You may want to dissolve it in warm water (or soup) and then whisk it in at the end before serving.