Last weekend, S wanted a light lunch as I was planning to make pizza for dinner. When I probed further, S said he wanted a carrot and tomato soup. So I went online and searched a few sites and then came up with this version. It is a keeper and a winner! It kept well and we finished it the next day.

Tomato Carrot Capsicum Soup

Ingredients:

• 6 medium-sized tomatoes
• 2 large carrots, chopped
• 1 large red capsicum, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 5-6 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1-inch piece of  ginger, chopped
• 2 dried red chillies (optional)
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• Salt to taste

Method:

• In a large pan or pressure cooker, heat the oil and when it heats, add the cumin seeds and fennel seeds and let it splutter.
• When the seeds splutter, add the onions, ginger and garlic and let them brown.
• When the onions brown, add the carrots and stir for a couple of minutes.
• Make a small cross at the top of the tomato (where the stalk is) and put the whole tomatoes into the cooker or pan.
• If using a pressure cooker, cover and cook for 3 whistles. If using a pan, cover and cook until the vegetables are completely cooked.
• When cool, remove the tomatoes carefully and peel the skin and return it back to the pan.
• Using a handheld blender, blend the cooked vegetables to a smooth paste. If you don’t have a handheld blender, then transfer to a normal blender, blend it and return it back to the pan.
• Heat the pan again and thin it with water as needed. Season with salt and pepper according to taste.
• Serve hot with bread croutons.