Cauliflower Soup with Cumin Toasted Cauliflower & Crispy Chickpeas

Method

1. First, make the garnish Pre-heat the oven to 200C. Lightly oil two baking trays with rapeseed oil and put back in the oven to heat up the oil.
2. Cut the single cauliflower into small florets. Place onto one pre-heated baking tray, seasoning generously and coating in cumin seeds. Bake for 15 minutes until cooked through and the edges turn lightly crisp (ensure they don’t burn). Once cooked transfer onto a plate.
3. Meanwhile, dry the chickpeas with some kitchen towel. Place the chickpeas in a bowl, season and add the curry powder and ground coriander, generously coating the chickpeas.
4. Place the chickpeas onto the second oven tray and bake for 30 minutes (stirring from time to time) until golden and crisp. When finished, allow to cool and transfer into a bowl.
5. To make the coriander oil, place the coriander and a generous pinch of salt into a blender (the salt helps to maintain the green colour). Add half of the 150ml oil, blend to combine the herb and oil. Then add the other half (you may need extra oil) and blend on high speed for 30 seconds until a smooth vivid green oil is made. Decant into a glass jar – this can be kept refrigerated for 3-4 days.
6. Second, make the soup. Melt the coconut butter in a large heavy based saucepan.
7. Sweat the onions until soft and translucent (add a splash of water if the onions look like they’re starting to catch). Add the garlic and fry for a further minute. Then add the cumin, bay leaf and potato. Season and stir to coat the ingredients in the cumin.
8. Add the vegetable stock and coconut milk. Bring to the boil, turn down the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
9. Cut the cauliflowers into equal sized florets and add to the soup pan.
10. Simmer for a further 10-15 minutes.
11. Allow the soup to cool for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a blender.
12. Blend the mix in batches and decant into a clean pan. Taste and adjust the seasoning (you may want to add the lemon juice to brighten the taste, or a pinch of curry powder to heat up the spicing). Add half the coconut cream, saving the rest for garnish.
13. To serve. Re-heat the soup, pour into soup bowls, drizzle first some coconut cream around the top, then follow with the coriander oil. Top with a handful of the toasted cauliflower and chickpeas. Here you can add some additional dukkah mixed with a pinch of zaatar, and garnish with micro coriander and purple shiso leaves for an extra-impressive finish.