Preheat the FAN oven to 180 degrees Celsius (400 Fahrenheit, 200 degrees Celsius Static Oven, Gas Mark 6); dress the carrot sticks in the salt, pepper, and olive oil and spread on a baking tray, trying not to have double layers. Roast on the middle shelf for about 40 minutes, or until just cooked through.

In a large pan, warm up the olive oil for the soup base on medium heat; once this is warm, add the garlic and onion and allow to cook until the rawness of the garlic has gone and the onion becomes translucent – this should take about four to five minutes.

Once the onions and garlic are ready, add the spices (cumin, fennel, and coriander powder) and mix well; reduce the heat to low and allow the spices to cook. Once these are cooked (they will separate from the oil) add the carrots and mix well again.

Add the stock cube and water to the soup pot and mix well; allow the chunky soup to simmer for 10 minutes then turn off the heat.

Allow the soup to cool down to a safe temperature before blending in a self-standing blender until smooth and creamy. Should you prefer your soup to be more liquid rather than thick and creamy, you can add some extra water, but ensure you bring the soup to a boil before serving should this be the case.

Warm-up thoroughly before serving and enjoy!