Vegan Thai Pumpkin Coconut Soup

Today I bring to you a Bangkok (capital city of Thailand) inspired soup that is genuinely authentic and delicious. I made this with my group in a Culinary Management class at my university a while back and wanted to share it with you all. Enjoy!

Thai cooking is known for its light yet aromatic flavors through the use of various herbs, spices, and condiments. While traditional Thai condiments like fish sauce is not incorporated in this dish (this recipe is vegan), the addition of salt to the dish substitutes for this lack of flavor and gives it a flavorful taste.

This soup contains an excellent source of vitamin K. Vitamin K is necessary for the synthesis of blood-clotting factors and bone proteins, and may help protect the body from inflammation, thereby giving protection against osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. This soup also provides a good source of magnesium, which is important for nerve transmission, heart and smooth muscle contraction, and insulin action on cells.

Recipe: Vegan Thai Pumpkin Coconut Soup

Here's what you'll need:

• 1 cup thick coconut milk, canned

• 3 cups vegetable stock

• 2 tbsp fresh lemon grass, minced

• ½ tsp lime zest

• 1 tbsp fresh-squeezed lime juice

• 1 ½ cups pumpkin

• 1 cup sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks

• 3 oz soft tofu, sliced into cubes

• ¼ cup of shallot, minced

• 1 ½ cloves garlic, minced

• 3 tbsp ginger, sliced thinly into matchsticks

• ½ tsp chili pepper

• ¼ tsp turmeric

• ½ tsp ground coriander

• ½ tsp ground cumin

• 1 tbsp brown sugar

• ½ cup fresh spinach

• ¼ cup fresh basil

Directions:

• In a pot, place vegetable stock over high heat. Add prepared lemon grass, lime zest, shallot, garlic, ginger, and chili and bring to a boil.

• Add the pumpkin and slightly reduce the heat; allow to gently boil for 6-7 minutes.

• While soup is gently boiling, add the following ingredients, making sure to stir after each addition: turmeric, ground coriander, cumin, brown sugar, and lime juice.

• Reduce heat to low once the pumpkin is soft enough to eat. Stir in the coconut milk.

• Stir the soup well and season with salt. Add the soft tofu and spinach just before serving. Top with basil and coriander. Serve warm.

Tips:

When adding the coconut milk to the soup, start with ¼ of a cup and increase in amounts depending upon how creamy you desire the soup to be. If the soup is too salty or sweet, add more lime juice; if the soup is too sour, add more sugar; if it is too spicy, add more coconut milk. Adding more chili adjusts the spice level.

This recipe was inspired by the following source:

http://thaifood.about.com/od/thaisnacks/r/summervegsoup.htm

#soup #recipe #health #lunch #lactosefree #glutenfree #food #vegan