“What on earth is ‘vegan’ chicken soup?” you might well ask.

It’s a thin soup made from vegetables which serves as an alternative to the traditional version. It’s great for those who once enjoyed chicken soup but no longer wish to partake in eating meat. It’s also great for life-long vegetarians who like flavourful soup. The idea is that it is warm and comforting like ‘Jewish penicillin’. Margarine and turmeric give the soup its traditional golden colouring, and the bonus factor is that it’s quick and easy to prepare.

• In a large saucepan, heat the margarine or oil and fry the onions for about 5 minutes over a medium heat.
• Add the carrots, celery, garlic, leeks and parsnip and fry these for a few more minutes.
• Add the water and bay leaves and bring to the boil.
• Reduce the heat and let the soup simmer, uncovered, for about an hour.
• After an hour, add the parsley, salt, cumin and turmeric and simmer for a further half an hour.
• Using a colander, strain the soup to remove the whole vegetables.
• Serve hot with kneidlach (for a quick vegan version, Telma’s ‘Kneidl Matzo Ball Mix’ combined with egg replacer works well).