Heat oil in a deep soup pot. Add ginger and garlic. Lightly sauté for a few seconds. (For a no-oil recipe, simply dry roast the ginger and garlic for a few seconds before adding everything.)
Add the chopped leek, potatoes, salt and pepper. Mix well.
Pour over the stock. Add some water if required.
Add the bay leaf, cover and let cook for 10-15 mins till the potatoes are tender.
To check if the potatoes are done, open the pot and try to break them against the wall of the pot with a wooden spoon. If they break easily, they are done.
Remove and discard the bay leaf.
Switch off the heat and blend the soup in the pot directly using a hand blender.
Ladle into soup bowls. Sprinkle some chili flakes (if you like it hot!) and little parsley.
Serve hot with some bread.
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Notes
You can also add some nutritional yeast while blending the soup to add a nutty cheesy flavor.
Nutritional information is approximate info for one serving.