Spicy Coconut Carrot Soup with Fried Shallots

For the soup:
In a large Dutch oven preheated to medium-high heat, add olive oil and bacon. Cook bacon until crisp, remove with a slotted spoon, place on a plate and set aside. In the same Dutch oven, add carrots, apple, onion, red pepper flakes, garlic, ginger, and salt and pepper. Saute the vegetables for about 5 minutes or until softened. Add the coconut milk, stock, and water to the Dutch oven. Bring the pot to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for about 20 minutes. Take an immersion blender and puree the soup. Add bacon and stir. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with fried shallots and scallions.

For the fried shallots:
Add canola oil to a skillet. Bring skillet to a medium-high heat and fry the shallots. You may want to fry in batches. It should only take about 2 to 3 minutes. Once fried, place shallots on a plate lined with a paper towel.

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit.