Carrot, Tomato and Cardamom Soup

Cardamom is a rich, aromatic spice that belongs to the ginger family-the most prized spice in the world after saffron. Choose fresh green or white pods for this soup, as the small, dark seeds retain essential oils that are missing in ready-ground supplies. You will need a liquidiser for this recipe. You may like to try serving this soup with Indian breads, such as nan or paratha.

Ingredients
9 cardamom, pods
10 oz (275 g) fresh tomatoes
10 oz (275 g) carrots
1 1/2 tablespoons sunflower oil
1 onion
1 3/4 pints (975 ml) vegetable or chicken stock
Salt and and freshly ground black pepper
Fresh coriander or parsley for garnish
Method
1. Roughly crush the cardamom pods using a pestle and mortar or the end of a rolling pin. Place all the pods and seeds in a piece of muslin and tie securely with string.

2. Skin the tomatoes by plunging them into a bowl of hot water for 30 seconds, then cold for 1 minute, until the skins can be easily removed using your fingers. De-seed the tomatoes, trim the carrots, and roughly chop them both.

3. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and finely chop the onion. Cook the onion over a medium heat until transparent. Add the carrots and tomatoes and stir for 2-3 minutes.

4. Add the stock and wrapped cardamom pods, then bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes until the carrots are tender. Remove the cardamom from the saucepan and leave to cool, then squeeze the muslin out over the saucepan, extracting all the juices.

5. Puree the vegetables and their liquid in a liquidiser, then return to the saucepan and reheat gently. The soup may be kept warm over a low heat until ready to serve, but you may need a little extra stock or water to thin it.

6. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, garnish with a sprinkling of chopped coriander or parsley, and serve immediately.