CURRY SOUP WITH SPICY CILANTRO COCONUT PESTO

By slebel

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp (15 mL) coconut oil
• 2 onions, chopped, about 2 cups (500 mL)
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) minced garlic
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) minced ginger
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) minced lemon grass
• 3 tbsp (45 mL) red curry paste, or to taste
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) ground turmeric
• 3 medium sweet potatoes, 1 1/2 lbs (750 g), peeled and chopped
• 1 ripe banana
• 3 1/2 cups (875 mL) vegetable stock
• 1 can (400 mL) coconut milk
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• SPICY CILANTRO COCONUT PESTO
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
• 1 tsp (5 mL) roasted red chili paste
• 3 tbsp (45 mL) shredded unsweetened coconut
• 1 cup (250 mL) loosely packed cilantro leaves
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) melted and cooled coconut oil
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) sunfl ower oil

Preparation

Step 1

1 Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat and sauté onions until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add in garlic, ginger and lemon grass and sauté 3 minutes. Stir in curry paste and turmeric. Cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

2 Add sweet potato, peeled banana, 3 cups (750 mL) stock and coconut milk. Increase heat to bring to a boil then immediately reduce temperature so that the soup begins simmering with a light, gentle bubble. Simmer for 20 minutes or until sweet potato is fork- tender.

3 Blend soup with an immersion blender or remove from heat and blend in batches in a food processor. If soup is too thick, add remaining ½ cup (125 mL) stock as needed. Return to pot and simmer until heated through. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

4 Process garlic, salt, chili paste and coconut in food processor until finely ground. Add cilantro and process until finely chopped. With machine running, slowly pour in oils until smooth. Use pesto immediately.

5 Serve soup with a dollop of cilantro pesto.