Cauliflower soup, curry oil, almonds and sultanas from Simpson's Restaurant, Edgbaston

My name is Luke Tipping, I'm the chef director of Simpsons Restaurant in Edgbaston, Birmingham where we've held a Michelin star for more than 20 years. The recipe celebrates the Balti Triangle, a famous area of Birmingham. I love the flavours of curry and this is a light cauliflower soup with lovely curry flavours. The soup is delicious served with a warm naan bread or crispy onion bhaji.

Good

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Trim the leeks, slice, and wash in warm water

Step 2

Remove stems and stalk of cauliflower, break into florets and wash in cold water

Step 3

Melt butter in large pan and add the leeks, stir well to coat in the butter, cook until soft without colour

Step 4

Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes

Step 5

Take off the heat and ladle the chicken stock into the leek mixture, whisk to form a sauce

Step 6

Bring the stock back to the boil then add the cauliflower florets Lower the heat and cook for 35-40 minutes

Step 7

Add crème fraiche and blend the soup

Step 8

Pass through a mesh sieve, return to the heat in a clean pan, taste, and season with salt

Step 9

Sprinkle with the cauliflower florets, toasted almonds and sultanas, drizzle with curry oil and raw shaved cauliflower.

Step 10

To make the curry oil In a medium pan, sweat the onion, apple and chopped lemon grass in half the oil with no colour. Add curry powder, add remaining oil. Heat gently for 2/3 minutes, leave to cool, strain through a mesh sieve.