Spicy Asian soup with lemongrass and coconut milk
vegan
Ingredients (for servings, )
| For the coconut milk | |
|---|---|
| 2 ¾ oz | Coconut meat, raw (coconut meat, organic?) |
| 400 ml | Drinking water, raw (organic?) (14 oz) |
| For the curry paste | |
| 9 cloves | Garlic (organic?) (0.95 oz) |
| 4 cm | Ginger, raw (organic?) (1.5 oz) |
| 3 stalks | Lemongrass, West Indian or Guatemalan lemongrass (2.6 oz) |
| 1 ⅝ oz | Coriander leaves, raw |
| 1 | Chili peppers, red, raw (organic?) (0.18 oz) |
| 2 tsp | Cayenne pepper (raw?, organic?) (0.13 oz) |
| 1 ⅛ tbsp | Cumin, ground (raw, organic?) (0.37 oz) |
| 200 ml | Drinking water, raw (organic?) (7.0 oz) |
| For the vegetable filling | |
| 28 oz | Swedes, raw (organic?) |
| 6 ½ oz | Shallots, raw (organic?) |
| 1 dash | Table salt (table salt, raw?, organic?) (0.01 oz) |
| 800 ml | Vegetable broth without added salt (organic?) (28 oz) |
| 1 ½ | Limes, raw (organic?) (3.5 oz) |
| 8 | Cherry tomatoes, raw (cherry tomatoes, organic?) (5.1 oz) |
| 7 ⅓ oz | Beans, green, raw (organic?) |
Equipment
- blender or hand-held blender / immersion blender
- mortar
- stove
- coffee grinder, electric
- saucepan
- oven
Type of preparation
- cook
- bake
- chop or grind
- season to taste
- remove the skin
- peel
Preparation
Making your own coconut milk
Put the coconut flesh and water in a blender and mix until you have a white, creamy liquid (coconut milk). You can optionally press this through a nut milk bag or just use it as it is. For 4 portions, take 400 ml of it and put it aside for later.If you have some coconut milk left over, you can either add it to the curry or use it for other dishes. You can find a simplified oil-free version without coconut milk here.
At this point, preheat the oven to 200 °C and line 2 baking trays with baking paper for 4 portions.
For the curry paste
Peel the garlic. Peel the ginger and grate finely. Peel the shallots and roughly chop 1/3 of them. Set the rest aside for step 5. Cut the top green ends (about the top third) off the lemongrass. Cut the lighter sections into fine rings. Wash the coriander and shake dry. Pick off some of the leaves and set aside as a topping. Roughly chop the rest (including the stems). Grind the cumin in a mortar or coffee grinder.You can use the green ends of the lemongrass for other dishes in which you simply cook the lemongrass and then remove it later.
Put everything together with the chili, cayenne pepper and 200 ml of water (for 4 portions) in a measuring cup and puree into a paste using a hand blender.
If you prefer it a little milder, use less cayenne pepper (you can add this at the end if necessary) or deseed the chili or leave it out altogether.
Put the paste in a large pot or non-stick pan and simmer for about 5 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent the paste from burning. Most of the water should have evaporated by the end.
Then deglaze with broth and let the soup simmer for about 10 minutes.If you want a roasted flavor, you can let the paste set slightly. This changes the taste, but also adds unhealthy byproducts such as an increased proportion of Maillard molecules to the dish.
We have deliberately used vegetable stock that is low in salt. When buying stock, be aware that even salt is often added.
At the same time, you can proceed to the next step.
For the vegetable filling
Peel the swede and cut into 0.5 thick slices. Cut these into quarters or sixths. Peel the shallots, halve them lengthways and fan them out slightly. Spread the swede and shallots on a baking tray. Salt lightly if desired. The shallots need about 10-15 minutes and the swede 20-25 minutes at 200 °C in a preheated oven.We used a smaller turnip for the amount of 800 g for 4 people.
At this point you can optionally brush the vegetables with a little refined rapeseed oil.When they are ready, remove them and set aside and keep warm until the rest is ready.
Wash the beans, remove the ends and halve. Wash the cherry tomatoes and halve or quarter them depending on their size and set aside.Variation: You can vary the vegetables individually. However, shallots remain as an ingredient. You can simply leave out the beans or add broccoli or thinly sliced carrots.
Finish the soup
Add the beans to the soup and cook for about 10 minutes until cooked. Finally, add the coconut milk and season with salt, cayenne pepper and a generous amount of lime juice.Finishing the soup
Add the baked shallots and swede pieces to the soup and reheat if necessary. Serve in soup bowls and top with tomatoes and fresh coriander.Optionally add rice noodles as a garnish.
|
Nutritional Information per person
Convert per 100g
|
2000 kcal | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 307 kcal | 15.4% |
| Fat/Lipids | 12 g | 16.7% |
| Saturated Fats | 8.3 g | 41.7% |
| Carbohydrates (inc.dietary fiber) | 50 g | 18.6% |
| Sugars | 19 g | 21.0% |
| Fiber | 13 g | 52.5% |
| Protein/Albumin | 8.4 g | 16.7% |
| Cooking Salt (Na:129.3 mg) | 328 mg | 13.7% |
| Essential micronutrients with the highest proportions | per person | 2000 kcal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Min | Copper, Cu | 74 mg | 7'391.0% |
| Min | Manganese, Mn | 2.2 mg | 111.0% |
| Vit | Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) | 89 mg | 111.0% |
| Vit | Vitamin K | 79 µg | 106.0% |
| Elem | Potassium, K | 1'480 mg | 74.0% |
| Vit | Folate, as the active form of folic acid (née vitamin B9 and | 124 µg | 62.0% |
| Vit | Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) | 0.73 mg | 52.0% |
| Min | Iron, Fe | 6.8 mg | 48.0% |
| Elem | Phosphorus, P | 278 mg | 40.0% |
| Vit | Vitamin A, as RAE | 291 µg | 36.0% |
Detailed Nutritional Information per Person for this Recipe
The majority of the nutritional information comes from the USDA (US Department of Agriculture). This means that the information for natural products is often incomplete or only given within broader categories, whereas in most cases products made from these have more complete information displayed.
If we take flaxseed, for example, the important essential amino acid ALA (omega-3) is only included in an overarching category whereas for flaxseed oil ALA is listed specifically. In time, we will be able to change this, but it will require a lot of work. An “i” appears behind ingredients that have been adjusted and an explanation appears when you hover over this symbol.
For Erb Muesli, the original calculations resulted in 48 % of the daily requirement of ALA — but with the correction, we see that the muesli actually covers >100 % of the necessary recommendation for the omega-3 fatty acid ALA. Our goal is to eventually be able to compare the nutritional value of our recipes with those that are used in conventional western lifestyles.
| Essential fatty acids | per person | 2000 kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Alpha-Linolenic acid; ALA; 18:3 omega-3 | 0.21 g | 10.0% |
| Linoleic acid; LA; 18:2 omega-6 | 0.55 g | 6.0% |
| Essential amino acids | per person | 2000 kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Tryptophan (Trp, W) | 0.06 g | 22.0% |
| Threonine (Thr, T) | 0.18 g | 20.0% |
| Isoleucine (Ile, I) | 0.19 g | 16.0% |
| Valine (Val, V) | 0.23 g | 14.0% |
| Lysine (Lys, K) | 0.25 g | 13.0% |
| Leucine (Leu, L) | 0.29 g | 12.0% |
| Phenylalanine (Phe, F) | 0.18 g | 12.0% |
| Methionine (Met, M) | 0.06 g | 7.0% |
| Vitamins | per person | 2000 kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) | 89 mg | 111.0% |
| Vitamin K | 79 µg | 106.0% |
| Folate, as the active form of folic acid (née vitamin B9 and | 124 µg | 62.0% |
| Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) | 0.73 mg | 52.0% |
| Vitamin A, as RAE | 291 µg | 36.0% |
| Thiamine (vitamin B1) | 0.38 mg | 34.0% |
| Niacin (née vitamin B3) | 3.5 mg | 22.0% |
| Riboflavin (vitamin B2) | 0.29 mg | 21.0% |
| Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) | 1.1 mg | 18.0% |
| Vitamin E, as a-TEs | 2.2 mg | 18.0% |
| Biotin (ex vitamin B7, H) | 2.5 µg | 5.0% |
| Essential macroelements (macronutrients) | per person | 2000 kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Potassium, K | 1'480 mg | 74.0% |
| Phosphorus, P | 278 mg | 40.0% |
| Magnesium, Mg | 115 mg | 31.0% |
| Calcium, Ca | 224 mg | 28.0% |
| Sodium, Na | 129 mg | 16.0% |
| Essential trace elements (micronutrients) | per person | 2000 kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Copper, Cu | 74 mg | 7'391.0% |
| Manganese, Mn | 2.2 mg | 111.0% |
| Iron, Fe | 6.8 mg | 48.0% |
| Zinc, Zn | 2.0 mg | 20.0% |
| Selenium, Se | 5.8 µg | 11.0% |
| Fluorine, F | 121 µg | 3.0% |
| Iod, I (Jod, J) | 4.7 µg | 3.0% |
This oil-free spicy Asian soup with lemongrass and coconut milk is quick and easy to prepare.
Quantity: The stated quantity for 4 portions is sufficient for a main course for 4 or a starter for 6. The quantity results in approximately 300 ml of soup base per person.
Nutrient profile: According to international guidelines for daily intake, one portion of this dish provides between 80-100% of manganese, vitamin C and vitamin K. It also provides around 50% of potassium, folic acid, vitamin B6 and the trace element iron. However, some of the heat-sensitive ingredients are lost during the cooking process, which slightly reduces the amount per portion. The ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids is 3:1, which is below the recommended ratio of 5:1.
You can find further information on this topic at the following link: Vegans often eat unhealthily. Avoidable nutritional errors .
Swede: In Germany, traditionally only the yellow-fleshed root tubers, which weigh up to 1.5 kg, are used in cooking, while the white-fleshed ones are used as fodder turnips. In addition to carbohydrates, swedes also contain large amounts of vitamin C, beta carotene and calcium. However, the tuber consists mainly of water, is therefore almost fat-free and is considered a low-calorie vegetable.
Coconut milk is not coconut water: Coconut milk is made by pureeing the flesh of a coconut with water and then squeezing it through a cloth. This coconut milk is not to be confused with coconut water. Coconut water appears next to the flesh when a coconut is opened.
Lemongrass: From Lemongrass is mainly used from the fresh, juicy lower parts of the stalks and the base of the leaves. Lemongrass is usually processed fresh, as it loses its aroma when dried. The essential oils contained in lemongrass, especially citral, give lemongrass its typical lemony smell and taste. This scent develops best when it is crushed or finely chopped.
Lime juice: The raw juice of limes has a high vitamin C content. Compared to lemon juice, lime juice has a more pronounced aroma.
Ginger: Ginger has an aromatic smell and a characteristic burning, sharp and spicy taste, which it owes mainly to gingerol. Ginger is said to have various healing effects, such as antibacterial, antiviral and antiemetic (against nausea) effects. Ginger also promotes blood circulation and increases bile production.
Despite the similar name, cumin is not closely related to caraway and also differs greatly in taste. Ground cumin has a fresh and slightly spicy aroma, which it owes to the cuminaldehyde contained in the essential oil.
Reduce salt and oil: We have deliberately reduced oil and salt for health reasons, the latter by using extra low-salt vegetable broth. You can find more information on this topic in the book we describe in detail: "Salt Sugar Fat" by Michael Moss.
Coriander: Opinions vary widely regarding the taste of coriander. Some people react to its intense, slightly soapy aroma with aversion or even nausea. According to statistics in Switzerland, 15% of all allergy sufferers are sensitive to coriander. There is no alternative with a similar taste. Flat-leaf parsley, which looks similar, has a completely different taste. In this dish, the majority of the coriander is in the curry and does not stand out as usual due to the cooking. Just try it.
Lemongrass: Fresh lemongrass will keep in the fridge for a few days. It can be frozen for up to 6 months.
Make your own broth / stock: If you want to make your own vegetable broth or stock, you will find suitable recipes below:
- Instant vegetable broth with carrots, celery and leek
- Vegan vegetable stock with celery, leek, fennel
- Organic mushroom vegetable broth with carrots and celery
Variation: You can vary the vegetables individually. However, you should keep shallots as an ingredient. The beans are optional. You can also simply leave them out or replace them with thin slices of carrot or broccoli. The cherry tomatoes are a nice addition. To make it more filling, you can add glass noodles (rice noodles).
Coconut milk: Coconut milk is a tasty but not necessary ingredient in this dish. We deliberately used homemade coconut milk. However, you can also use canned coconut milk. In both cases, make sure to use organic products and those that were not harvested using monkeys. Products from Sri Lanka and Vietnam are considered cruelty-free, whereas monkeys are often used in products from Thailand. Since, contrary to popular belief, coconut milk is more unhealthy than healthy due to its very high proportion of saturated (medium-chain and long-chain) fatty acids, we rarely use it. In this case, however, despite coconut milk, the LA:ALA ratio is in a very good range (see above). However, you can also simply leave out coconut milk or use oat or almond milk as an alternative.
A simplified oil-free version without coconut milk can be found here.
Spiciness: This dish is traditionally considered to be rather spicy. If you prefer it milder, remove the seeds from the chili or leave it out completely and adjust the amount of cayenne pepper.
