thai buttercup soup

This is my absolute favourite soup this winter. It’s incredibly nourishing, filling and creamy, yet dairy-free! Packed full of flavour with plenty of spice and protein from the addition of lentils, it’s a well rounded meal in a bowl.

The coconut milk, Thai spices, turmeric, and ginger go so well with creamy, nutty, buttercup. To keep it easy on Grant’s digestive system I used garlic infused oil and leek instead of regular onion, both of these give flavour, and can usually be tolerated by those with an inflamed gut.

Creamy Thai Buttercup Soup

4 tablespoons garlic infused olive oil

2.5 tablespoons freshly grated peeled ginger

1 packet Asian Home Gourmet Thai Red Curry Sauce

2 tablespoons Asian Home Gourmet Thai Green Curry Sauce

2 tablespoons freshly grated turmeric (or 2 teaspoons powdered turmeric)

1/2 cup leek, green and white part, diced (for digestive issues use green part only)

2 large carrots, peeled and grated

2 small buttercups, peeled and cut in cubes

1 can light good quality coconut milk

3 cups organic vegetable broth

1 can organic brown lentils in brine

2 tablespoons cashew, almond or good quality smooth peanut butter

¾ teaspoon Himalayan or Celtic Sea Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Choice of toppings: squeeze of lime, coriander, sliced almonds, toasted seeds, feta, yogurt

Here’s how:

Put the cubed buttercup into a pot with boiling water just covering and cook on high for 8 minutes or until the buttercup is only just starting to soften. Take off the heat.

To a large pot on medium heat add the oil, red and green curry, ginger, leek, carrot and turmeric, saute for about 5 minutes until the leek and carrot softens. Add the nut butter and lentils in brine (you want the brine) and scoop out half of the butternut and add it into the big pot. Cook for a further 8 minutes until the butternut is soft. Add the salt, vegetable broth and coconut milk, stir to combine.

Very carefully take this mixture out in batches and blend until creamy, then add it back to the large pot. Get a masher and gently mash the remaining buttercup that’s in the other pot – you still want some chunky pieces so don’t mash very hard.

Put the ‘mashed’ butternut and water in with the other ingredients and simmer for 15 minutes. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.

Serve in bowls with coriander and heated ciabatta.

Tips you might want to know about:

To make yours in the slow cooker: add all of the ingredients to the bowl of a slow cooker, except I recommend reducing the broth to 2 ½ cups. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. Continue with blending part of the soup after it is cooked.

Add the juice of half a grapefruit before serving to balance out the creaminess of the coconut.

For a sweeter version,  peel and cook three golden kumara, mash with a little oil and some more vege stock, then add to the soup and stir well.

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