As we head towards colder weather we need to consider changing our diets accordingly.

This vegetarian turmeric soup is warming because ginger is very good for your circulation.

And it’s also particularly good for you because it combines turmeric together with black pepper. Turmeric contains curcumin which has strong anti-inflamatory and anti-oxidant properties. Unfortunately curcumin doesn’t absorb very easily into the blood stream… unless it is consumed with piperine, a substance found in black pepper.

This freezes well. Freeze the cashews separately.

Recipe for warming winter carrot, ginger and turmeric soup

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 tbsps olive oil
• 1 onion
• 800 ml/3⅓ vegetable stock
• generous grinds black pepper
• 500g/1 lb 2 oz carrots
• 2 tsps grated ginger
• 2 tsps ground turmeric
• 1 tsp byadgi chilli
• 80g/½ cup cashews, roughly chopped
• 4 tbsps of thick yoghurt

Method

1. Gently heat the oil in a medium saucepan.
2. Peel and chop the onion, add to the pan and fry gently until transparent (about ten minutes).
3. Meanwhile peel and roughly chop the carrots.
4. Add ginger, turmeric and black pepper to the onions, and stir.
5. Add the carrots. Stir.
6. Add the stock, bring to the boil, and simmer for ten – 15 minutes until just soft.
7. Use a stick blender to make the soup quite smooth – although the odd bit of carrot is fine. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste.
8. Meanwhile, gently dry fry the cashews with the Byadgi chilli for two or three minutes.
9. Serve, with a dollop of yoghurt, and a sprinkling of spicy cashews. If there are any cashews left, put them in a small bowl on the table for guests to help themselves.

For a post on turmeric tea, follow this link.