Butternut Soup with Beetroot and Cumin Croutons

Ingredients, serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 onion, finely chopped
3cm piece ginger, grated
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon curry powder or garam masala
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 butternut squash, peeled, cored and diced
1 tin coconut milk 400ml
100ml water

Beetroot croutons
1 tablespoon olive oil
200g raw beetroot, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon cumin seeds

Method

1. Beetroot Croutons: Heat the oven to 200°C Mix the beetroot with the olive oil in a small ceramic tray and sprinkle with cumin seeds. Cook in the oven for 45 mins until completely cooked through. In the meantime, make the soup.
2. Soup: Heat the olive oil in a large pan and gently sauté the onions for three to four minutes until cooked  through and glassy. Add the garlic and cook for a further one to two minutes.
3. Add the ginger and the spices and cook, while stirring, for around two minutes to allow their aromatic flavours to develop.
4. Add all the other ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes until the butternut is tender and cooked through.
5. Allow to cook slightly, before pureeing with a stick of stand blender.
6. Decorate with the beetroot croutons just before serving.