A Thai-style curried peanut soup with rice and carrots.

Curried Peanut Soup

1 tablespoon peanut oil

1 medium onion, halved, sliced

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons curry powder

4 cups (or more) chicken broth

1/3 cup rice

3 medium carrots, peeled, sliced

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (not old-fashioned style or freshly ground)

1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Finely chopped green onions for accompaniment

Chopped fresh cilantro for accompaniment

1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic and curry powder; sauté until onion has softened, about 6 minutes. Add broth and bring to boil. Stir in rice and carrots. Reduce heat and simmer until rice is very tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.
2. Puree half of soup in blender or processor with peanut butter. (Caution! Hot liquids create steam which will blow the top off the blender! Be sure to securely hold blender lid down!) Return puree to saucepan. Stir soup until heated through, thinning with more broth if desired; do not boil. Stir in sugar, salt and pepper.
3. Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with green onions and cilantro.

Serves 4.