Tomato and coconut milk soup with coriander

Method

1. Sweat the onion in the butter on a gentle heat until soft but not coloured.

2. Add the tomato purée (or chopped tinned tomatoes plus juice), coconut milk and homemade chicken or vegetable stock.

3. Add the chopped coriander, season with salt, freshly ground pepper and sugar. Bring to the boil and simmer for a few minutes.

4. Liquidise, taste and dilute further if necessary.

5. Bring back to the boil and correct seasoning.

6. Garnish with a tiny blob of crème fraîche and some coriander leaves.

7. Tinned tomatoes need a surprising amount of sugar to counteract the acidity. Fresh milk cannot be added to the soup — the acidity in the tomatoes will cause it to curdle.
   Note: This soup needs to be tasted carefully as the final result depends on the quality of the homemade purée and stock.