Turmeric Carrot Soup

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When I was in junior high school I attended my first wedding, and it forever ruined all future weddings for me. My distant cousin married a Grimm (as in, of Grimmway Farms, the largest distributor of baby carrots). The wedding was held at her parents’ private estate and it was so elegant and beyond extravagant.  

The property was beautifully lush with greenery,  had swans swimming on the large ponds, and had a cobblestone driveway that led to their pristine colonial home. After the ceremony, and as cocktail hour (which featured more fresh seafood than you could possibly imagine) was welcoming the twilight sky, there was a surprise firework show. And this was in Bakersfield, CA, where it is as dry as a desert. So legally being able to shoot explosives into the air with drought-ridden land below is pretty impressive! As the firework show ended we were ushered into the largest wedding tent I have ever seen. Inside, there were two levels (yes TWO). Each table had enough flowers to supply their own floral shop – oh, and my favorite part were the platters of See’s candy located next to the all the flower vases. On the lower level was the massive dance floor, right in front of the 17-piece band assemble. Casual I know. 

For the dinner, Wolfgang Puck catered (Bobby Flay catered the rehearsal dinner omg!), and in honor of the bride’s family’s business, one of the courses was a carrot soup. I was super picky back then, so I am surprised that I even ventured to try that orange liquid, but I did, and it was AMAZING! To be honest that’s the only food I remember eating that night lol.

And just when we thought the wedding was coming to a close, as the dance floor slowly emptied, and the music became soft, a magical side curtain opened to reveal a secret room. The room was set up like a nightclub with velvet sofas and purple lighting. Fresh cigars were being rolled, club music was blasting, and additional desserts were being served. While this experience is one that I will always keep with me, the one thing I think about often is the carrot soup that was served. I wish I remembered how it tasted so as to recreate it, but since I do not have an elephant's memory, I had to come up with a carrot soup of my own!

In my carrot soup recipe I incorporated the strong taste of turmeric. Recently turmeric has been one of those spices that I have been curious about and dying to try in a recipe. Warm and bitter in taste, with hints of ginger and orange, you don’t need much turmeric to make an impact. The soup if further enriched with coconut milk, which substituting for traditional dairy makes this soup dairy free for all my lactose intolerant friends! The soup is so warm and cozy and is perfect for cuddling up on the cough on a cold, crisp day! 

Turmeric Carrot Soup

Prep time:

Cook time:

Serves: 8

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/3 cups (1 small or 1/2 large) onion, chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, diced
  • 1 1/2 pounds carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 2 cans coconut milk
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/4 teaspoon ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon coriander
  • Dash of cayenne
  • Cilantro (optional)
  • Peanuts (optional)

Instructions:

  1. In a large pot, saute the onions in olive oil until translucent.
  2. Add the garlic and saute for 2 minutes.
  3. Add the carrots, coconut milk, chicken broth, and spices. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes, until carrots are tender.
  4. Blend the soup by either transferring to a blender or using an immersion blender.
  5. Add additional chicken broth or water if soup is too thick for your liking.
  6. (Optional) Serve with cilantro and peanuts.