Today is a cold and grey day in Sydney, perfect for a warming soup to serve for lunch.

This soup is is a rich mix of sweet carrots and celery, with spicy taste and fragrance of freshly roasted and ground coriander and cumin seeds, and made hearty by the addition of chickpeas to make it a really healthy meal.

If you have the time, the extra effort of dry roasting the coriander and cumin seeds does make all the difference. It only takes a few minutes and a few minutes more to grind them with just a little effort with a mortar and pestle. You can make the spices ahead and store them for use whenever needed. The difference in flavour is appreciable.

If you don’t have the time or equipment to prepare your own spices, do make sure that your ground spices are as fresh as possible. It will make your soup more fragrant and delicious.

This spicy soup makes a tasty and filling meal any time, served with some good, crusty bread and a green salad of mixed leaves.

Saturday Soup: Carrot, Celery and Chickpea Soup:

Ingredients:

• 600 g carrots, diced
• 200 g celery, diced
• 3 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 1/2 L vegetable stock
• 1 Tblsp olive oil
• 1 small knob of butter
• 1 can Chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Dry Roasting Coriander and Cumin Seeds:

1. Heat a small heavy-based pan on a medium-low heat and when the pan is hot, dry roast the cumin seeds for about 1-2 minutes till they start to crackle and release their aroma, keeping them moving in the pan by shaking the pan and being careful not to burn them.

2. Immediately remove them to a plate to cool. Left in the pan the seeds will continue to cook and burn

3. Repeat the process with the coriander seeds, which being larger could take slightly longer

4. Once cool to the touch, grind the seeds individually with a mortar and pestle, or a spice grinder, to a fine mix

5. Allow the powder to cool to cool for 5 minutes

6.Seal in small glass jars with tight fitting lids

7. Shelf life is 6-8 months if stored in a dark, cool, and dry place

Preparing the Soup:

Prepare the carrots and celery by slicing them and then chopping them into small cubes

1.Using a heavy based saucepan on a medium low, heat the oil and knob of butter

2. When the butter stops foaming, add the diced carrots and celery and cook for 10 minutes, stirring from time to time so that the vegetables do not catch.

3. Add the ground coriander and cumin to the vegetable mixture and stirring continuously, cook for a further 3-4 minutes

4. Then add in the chickpeas and stir through. Season with freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste

5. Then pour in the stock, stir everything through and lowering the heat, cover and simmer for 60 minutes till the celery and carrots are tender. Add a little extra liquid if needed

6. When cooked, remove some of the vegetables with a slotted spoon, leaving the broth behind. Using an immersion blender, process the vegetables in batches in this way till smooth, removing the pureed vegetables into another saucepan.

7. When all the vegetables have been pureed, slowly stir in the broth till the soup is of a good consistency.

8. Check for seasoning and amend if required and then heat again on a low heat

9. When fully warmed serve with fresh parsley or coriander leaves and a drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive oil and serve with lots of crusty bread, some of your favourite cheese and a green garden salad of mixed leaves with your favourite dressing.