Green bean and coconut cream soup

Prepare soup close to serving time. This recipe is not suitable to freeze or microwave.

1 medium carrot

30 g butter

2 teaspoons chopped fresh lemon grass

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 fresh green chillies, chopped

2 green shallots, chopped

½ cup chopped green beans

2 X 400 ml cans coconut cream

½ large vegetable stock cube, crumbled

2 cups bean sprouts

2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander

Cut carrot into fine strips. Melt butter in large saucepan, add lemon grass, garlic and ginger, stir over medium heat for 1 minute. Add turmeric and ground coriander, stir over heat further 1 minute. Add carrots, chillies, shallots, beans, coconut cream and stock cube, mix well. Bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer, uncovered for 5 minutes. Stir in beans sprouts and fresh coriander. Serves 4.

Pumpkin and apple soup

30 g butter

2 onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 kg pumpkin, chopped

2 green apple, peeled, cored and chopped

6 cups vegetable stock

Freshly ground black pepper

Melt butter in a large saucepan, add onions and garlic and cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly for 5 minutes until onions are soft. Stir in cumin and nutmeg and cook for 1 minute longer. Add pumpkin, apples and stock and bring to boil reduce heat, cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes until vegetables are tender. Transfer soup to food processor and process until smooth. Return to a clean saucepan, bring to simmering, season to taste with black pepper and serve.