Last Christmas my aunt bought me the Canadian Living cookbook called ‘The Vegetarian Collection’ and this was one of the first recipes I tried out of it. It’s vegan, gluten-free and easy to make. I only altered a few small things (like adding more sesame oil) and otherwise followed it word-for-word. It works perfectly every time.

This is one of those soups that taste amazing even after spending a few days in the fridge. It’s got a strong flavour so I like to eat it on its own, but it would go well with a side of salad or a sandwich.

Also, I’ve just finished my exams for the semester and the holidays are coming up, so expect some holiday baking posts very soon.

Sidenote: Thanks to all of you who have been reading my blog, leaving kind comments and giving me feedback. It’s very encouraging and much appreciated!

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 3 tbsp. sesame oil
• 1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds (I ran out so used cumin powder this time, both work fine)
• Pinch of chili flakes
• Pinch of salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 can (19oz/540 mL) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tbsp. fresh mint, chopped
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice

Method

In a large saucepan, heat olive oil and 1 tbsp. sesame oil. Add onion, garlic, cumin, chili flakes, salt and pepper. Cook on medium-high heat for roughly 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add carrots and cook for another 5 minutes, until carrots begin to soften.

Add chickpeas, broth and water. Bring everything to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. After the 10 minutes are up, the carrots should be easy to pierce with a fork.

In a food processor, blend 2 cups of the soup. Add the blended soup back in with the rest of the soup, the mix in mint, lemon juice and the remaining 2 tbsp. of sesame oil. If you’re serving it to company, garnish it with leftover mint sprigs and sprinkle it with toasted sesame seeds.