1 kg carrots, sliced into 2cm pieces
3cm piece of ginger
100ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus a little extra
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
8 sprigs thyme, leaves picked
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cracked pepper
1 onion, whole with skin on
4 garlic cloves, skin on plus 1 clove minced
1 litre vegetable stock
400g can chickpeas, drained & rinsed
2 tablespoons cumin seeds (extra)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, extra
Preheat oven to 200 degrees/C.
Place the carrots and ginger in an ovenproof casserole dish, then add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, thyme, the minced garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon cracked pepper. Toss to combine.
On top, add the whole onion and garlic cloves, drizzling with a little olive oil. Roast, uncovered for 40 minutes or until the carrots are almost tender. Add the stock, and cook for a further 10 minutes to soften carrots.
Remove from oven. Squeeze garlic from skins and peel the onion. Use a stick blender to process the contents until smooth. Taste for seasoning. Add a little more salt or pepper if required. Return to oven or place on stovetop to heat if required.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a frypan over medium- high heat. Add chickpeas and extra cumin seeds. Cook, tossing for 3-4 minutes until browned and crisp. Drain. Top soup with chickpeas and cumin seeds.
