Carrots are very cheap, and a healthy choice due to their high levels of fibre, beta carotene (a natural anti-oxidant) and vitamin A. Roasting the vegetables really intensifies their flavour and sweetness, and adds a delicious slightly smoky flavour.
Put onions, garlic and carrots in a high sided roasting dish.
Pour over the canned tomatoes, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle over fennel seeds and season well.
Roast for about an hour without stirring. This allows the top layer to dry out a bit, which both concentrates the flavour of the vegetables and allows lots of charred edges to develop to give you the smoky flavour.
Carefully tip the contents of the roasting dish into a large saucepan or a blender. I used a saucepan and a stick blender (yep, still dreaming of a new high speed blender).
Add chickpeas, stock powder and water to cover the vegetables, then blend until smooth. Adjust consistency by adding more water if necessary. Adjust seasoning to taste.