Carrot-Almond Soup

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup whole almonds
1 pound carrots, sliced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Freshly ground black pepper
6 cups water
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

Directions:

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon Heat the oil and butter over medium heat in a large soup pot. Add the almonds and stir until toasted, about 3 minutes. Transfer nuts with a slotted spoon to a small plate and reserve. Add the carrots, onion, salt, cumin, coriander, ginger, and pepper to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally until tender, about 10 minutes. Increase the heat to high and cook until the vegetables brown, about 4 minutes more. Add the water and chickpeas to the pot. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook until the beans are very tender, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, stir together the yogurt, cilantro, and lemon zest in a small bowl. Roughly chop the reserved almonds. Transfer half of the almonds and half of the soup to a blender. Pulse at first, and then puree, to make a smooth soup base. Return the pureed soup to the pot and heat. Stir in the yogurt mixture, divide among warmed bowls, and serve with the remaining chopped almonds sprinkled on top.