Fragrant Thai Vegetable Soup

Every now and then I swap over my Cake Lady Hat and become a Soup Lady. Last week I made a healthy, delicious and fragrant Thai Vegetable Soup for a staff wellbeing lunch, and have had rave reviews and multiple requests to share the recipe - so here it is.

It is gluten free and vegetarian (or you can add or substitute the tofu with chicken breast, if you'd like to make it meaty). I have suggested some vegetables, but you could really use whatever veg is in your fridge. Beans and capsicum would be lovely additions! The pureed pumpkin makes it nice and creamy.

I would love to know if you give it a try, and what you think!

FRAGRANT THAI VEGETABLE SOUP

INGREDIENTS:

1 can coconut milk

500ml vegetable stock

1/2 a butternut pumpkin, diced

300g tofu (you could with substitute or add diced chicken breast if you wanted)

Ginger (1 inch, sliced)

4 Kaffir lime leaves

1 lemongrass stalk (sliced into 1 inch pieces)

1/2 onion sliced

1 spring onion, sliced

1 carrot, sliced

1/2 cup brocolli, sliced

1/2 cup cauliflower, sliced

1 tomato, sliced

250g mushrooms, sliced

2 tbsp Fish sauce

2 tbsp Lime juice

1 tbsp Brown sugar

Optional garnish: coriander leaves and sambal oelek (chilli paste).

METHOD:

1. Steam or roast the pumpkin until soft, then blend it into a puree.
2. Combine the coconut milk, stock and pumpkin puree in a large saucepan.
3. Add ginger, lemongrass and chicken, stir and bring to a boil.
4. Add the vegetables (feel free to use whatever you have!), bring back to the boil, then simmer over a medium-high heat until vegetables are soft.
5. Add fish sauce, sugar and lime juice - stir in and remove from the heat.
6. Feel free to garnish with sambal oelek (chilli paste) and coriander to taste.
7. Devour immediately or store in fridge for up to 4 days.