Cooking is a creative process. Mixing ingredients together and discovering new tastes has always been my passion. Making simple recipes from fresh ingredients and inventing new tastes is really fun. Different spices in a same dish make for a different experience. A lot of different vegetables can be used in this recipe. Create! Invent! Below the recipe are a few ideas that you can make from the same “Coconut Veggie soup” that I made today. Recipes do not have to be intimidating. A few simple ingredients are enough to make a delicious dish!
COCONUT VEGGIE SOUP
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Serves: 4 or 6 (depending on your appetite!)
Ingredients:
1tbsp vegetable oil
1 large sweet onion, sliced
1 large sweet potato or 2 medium, diced in ½ inch cubes (purple potatoes are fun to add for color and a different tecture)
3 carrots (I love the rainbow carrots for their fun colors), sliced
1 yellow squash, cut in half lengthwise and sliced
1 zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and sliced
2 cans of coconut milk (you can use the light for less fat)
1,5 cubes of chicken/vegetarian stock or 2 cups of broth
1tsp turmeric
Fresh cilantro
Lime wedges for servings
Preparation:
Sauté onions in oil until slightly translucent. Add sweet potato and carrots and cook until almost tender steering frequently, 8 to 10 minutes.
Add yellow squash and zucchini and cook another 5 minutes.
Add coconut milk, 2 cups of water, turmeric and bring to a boil. Add stock to dissolve. (if using liquid broth just add 2 cups of broth)
Check seasoning and adjust as needed.
Serve topped with fresh cilantro and a lime wedge
IDEAS:
– Add orange lentils or garbanzo beans for protein and curry powder for an Indian flavor. Top with fresh cilantro and serve with Naan bread (Indian flatbread, available in supermarkets)
– Add shrimp and serve over rice. Top with fresh cilantro
– Add fish (white fish like cod, red snapper work well), fresh mango slices and serve with scallions and a lime wedge for a Caribbean flavor
– Add chicken and curry powder (can be chicken breast that you will cook in the broth or use left over chicken meat)
– Add a touch of sesame oil, Nory (dried seaweed used in sushi) cut in small pieces, toasted sesame seeds and edamame for a Japanese flavor.
