Stir-fry the curry paste in 1 to 2 tablespoons of the thick top of the can of coconut milk.

Stir in the rest of the coconut milk. Add the carrot juice and crushed lemongrass, and heat through.

Check seasoning. Discard the lemongrass and ladle the hot soup into mugs or large soup cups. Serve with raw baby carrots on the side.

Cook’s tip: Freshly juiced carrots are the richest and best vegetable source of vitamin A, but using bottled carrot juice saves time.