Butternut and Coconut Soup

Butternut and Coconut Soup

Ingredients: (Serves 4)

grapeseed oil for frying

2 cloves garlic (sliced or crushed)

1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger

1 small bunch spring onions

handful of chopped dhania (coriander)

2 sticks lemongrass (sliced)

500 g butternut (peeled and cubed)

2 cans coconut milk

2 cups vegetable stock

150 g uncooked basmati or jasmine rice

2 sweetcorn cobs (cut off kernels)

400 g white-fleshed fish (optional)

200 g baby spinach

soy sauce or lemon juice

Instructions:

Add a little grapeseed oil to a wok or large saucepan and gently fry the garlic, ginger, spring onions, dhania and lemongrass until the flavors begin to mingle and deepen. Add the butternut, coconut milk, stock, rice and sweetcorn. Carefully mix all the ingredients and bring to a gentle boil. Cover the wok or saucepan with a lid and allow to boil for 15 minutes. If you are adding seafood, place it on top of the soup and gently submerge it into the liquid without distrubing the rest of ingredients. Do the same with the spinach or pak choi. If there is not enough liquid you may add more stock at this stage to cover the fish. Allow 5 minutes for the fish to cook.

Now, very gently, stir all with spoon so that the ingredients can blend, but without breaking up the fish or butternut too much. Serve in bowl with a dash of soy sauce or a squeeze of fresh lemon and sprinkle of dhania or spring onion.