Wanna hear something crazy? I’m going to be 28 next week!
When my mom was 28 she had a seven year old and a five year old. That’s nuts. I
still feel like a kid, I can’t imagine having one (or two) of my own. My furry
cat child is a big enough handful.
It doesn’t feel like it’s almost my birthday. When I was a
kid, my birthdays were always sunny and summery, and even though this will be
the 10th birthday I’ve spent Seattle, I’m still not used to June 4th
being blustery and cold. Hopefully we’ll get some sun again soon!
In the meantime, though, I’m happy to warm up with something
homey and delicious. Like this soup. Creamy coconut milk with a bit of spice
from sambal oelek (an amazing hot chili sauce, you should try it!), and a bit
of depth from peanut butter. Add some heft and sweetness from sweet potatoes,
some acidic freshness from tomatoes, and some extra feel-goodness from a big
pile of dark leafy greens.
This soup is awesome this time of year, because it can
play the warm comforting card in cold weather, but the bright Asian flavors
also work when the temperature rises.
Sweet Potato & Coconut Milk Soup with Swiss Chard & Sambal Oelek
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 onion, diced
1 small knob of ginger, grated
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed in bite-sized pieces
1.5 tablespoon peanut butter
1 teaspoon samba oelek (or more, depending on your taste)
salt & pepper
4 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)
1 bunch swiss chard, stems removed & leaves chopped or torn to bite size pieces
1/2 cup diced tomatoes (I used cherry)
1 can coconut milk
Serve with:
Sliced green onions
Cilantro
Crushed peanuts
More sambal oelek
Heat coconut oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add onion, and cook until just starting to brown. Add ginger and garlic, and cook for a minute or so. Add sweet potatoes, and cook for another minute. Stir in peanut butter and samba oelek, and salt and pepper to taste. Add broth, turn up heat, and bring to a boil. Let boil for a few minutes, then cover, lower the heat and simmer until potatoes are soft, about 10 minutes. Add in swiss chard, tomatoes, and coconut milk. Turn heat back up until soup boils. Remove from head and serve with sliced green onions, cilantro, crushed peanuts, and more sambal.
PS. It's even better the next day!
Sweet Potato & Coconut Milk Soup with Swiss Chard & Sambal Oelek
1 onion, diced
1 small knob of ginger, grated
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed in bite-sized pieces
1.5 tablespoon peanut butter
1 teaspoon samba oelek (or more, depending on your taste)
salt & pepper
4 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)
1 bunch swiss chard, stems removed & leaves chopped or torn to bite size pieces
1/2 cup diced tomatoes (I used cherry)
1 can coconut milk
Sliced green onions
Cilantro
Crushed peanuts
More sambal oelek
PS. It's even better the next day!
