• 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 carrot, leek and celery stalk, washed, trimmed and finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon sunflower or groundnut oil
• 1 quince, peeled, cored and grated
• 1 kg (2 lbs) ripe tomatoes
• 1 litre (1½ pints) vegetable or chicken stock
• salt
• pepper
• crushed seeds of green cardamom pods

Cook the four vegetables in the oil until soft, and then add the quince and tomatoes, and cook until the quince is soft. Remove from the heat, and allow to cool before liquidizing with half the stock.

Sieve and return the mixture to the saucepan with the remaining stock. Add the cardamom seeds, bring to the boil, season to taste, and serve.

You can swirl in some soured cream or crème fraiche, but I think the soup needs nothing else. If you do not like crushed cardamom in the soup, add it with the vegetables and it will be sieved out.