Thursday, November 17, 2011

Sweet Potato-Coconut Soup

This is another excellent recipe from Rebecca Katz's cookbook, One Bite At a Time.  I modified it slightly by using vegetable broth rather than using her recipe for Magic Mineral Broth.  I have made her Magic Mineral Broth in the past and it was fabulous, but my time and energy constraints led me to use vegetable broth instead for this recipe.   Also, I used lemongrass paste rather than a stalk of lemongrass, since it was what I had available.   I made just a half-batch, which is what is listed below.  What I liked most about the soup was the hint of ginger and lemongrass, and the creamy texture created by the use of coconut milk. 





Ingredients:
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 can (14.5 oz) light coconut milk
2 (1-inch) pieces fresh ginger
1 shallot bulb, halved and bruised
1/2 teaspoon zest of a lime
1 Tablespoon lemongrass paste
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
Squeeze of fresh lime juice
1 Tablespoon shredded unsweetened coconut, for garnish

Preparation:
In a large stock pot, bring the broth, coconut milk, ginger, shallots, lime zest, lemongrass and salt to a slow boil over medium heat.  Let the ingredients infuse their flavor into the liquid for about 20 minutes.  Decrease the heat to low and continue to let the broth develop for another 30 - 40 minutes. Remove the shallots with a slotted spoon.  Add the sweet potatoes and turn the heat  back up to medium.  Cook the sweet potatoes until tender, about 15 minutes.

Puree in a blender or with an immersion stick. Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle with lime juice, and garnish with the coconut. 

Nutrition:
Servings per recipe: 6                    
Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 102                                   
Total Fat: 1 g                            
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 171 mg
Total Carbs: 12 g
Dietary Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 1 g