Hello!

If you like Thai inspired food, you are going to love this soup base. I simply puree sauteed greens, 1 can of coconut milk and 1 can of water together to create a healthy base that you can add just about anything to. Thai food is traditionally a balance between spicy, sweet, savory and sour so your options are endless if you add a little of each element (I have plenty of suggestions below). The other element of Thai cooking I love is that certain items, such as garlic, ginger and hot peppers, aren’t necessarily cooked before they are added to the final dish. This results in lots of bright, fresh flavor.

We hope you experiment and find a combination that you love!

Green Coconut Soup Base
makes about 4 servings

Recipe note: the additional ingredients listed below are just what I used – you can alter them in any way to suit your tastes.

Green Soup Base Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 6 ounces (or one bunch) Summerfest Asian greens (or other greens of choice), stems removed and roughly chopped
• 1 can full fat coconut milk
• 1 can water (just fill up the coconut milk can with water)

Additional Ingredients:

• 1-1/3 pound sweet potatoes or winter squash (I love using the red Kuri squash from The Healthy Kitchen because you can eat the skin!), seeded and cut into 1″ chunks
• 3 small tomatoes, chopped
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons fish sauce (or substitute soy sauce if vegetarian)
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• Juice from one lime
• Thinly sliced hot peppers
• Chopped fresh cilantro

Green Soup Base Directions:

• In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium until shimmering. Add the greens and cook, stirring frequently, until wilted, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a blender along with the coconut milk and water. Blend on high speed until the greens are fully incorporated, about 1 minute. Transfer the liquid back into the Dutch oven.
• To the coconut soup base, add the sweet potatoes or winter squash and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add the remaining ingredients, stirring to incorporate. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve with rice or rice noodles.