Warm up with Carrot Ginger Turmeric Soup

This Carrot Ginger Soup is the perfect dish for a dreary winter day. Aside from having a vibrant saffron hue that makes it look like a bowlful of sunshine, it also has a permeating warmth thanks to the ample addition of ginger and turmeric. You can literally feel yourself warming up from the inside out as each spoonful of soup goes down.

Because there aren't many ingredients in it, the trick to infusing the soup with a ton of flavor is to caramelize the carrots and onions. This gives the soup a marvelously mellow sweetness that balances out the oodles of savory umami created by the Maillard reaction.

Using a stick blender will result in a rougher texture, while pouring this into a high speed blender will result in a more creamy texture. Personally, I like how light the soup is despite feeling velvety rich, but if you're looking for something a bit more creamy, throw in a handful of raw cashews before blending the soup. They not only lend a fair bit of umami and sweetness to the soup, they'll also make it super creamy.

I garnished this with mint to mix into the soup, but it's also delightful with cilantro, parsley, or other green herbs. Lastly, a squeeze of lemon or lime is a great way to add a last minute accent, or to change up any leftovers.