Kumara Soup

Method

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1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat and cook the onion for 6 minutes until soft.

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2. Add the garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander and chilli flakes and cook 1 minute, until fragrant.

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3. Add the kumara and stock, bring to a boil, then simmer 20 minutes until the kumara is very soft.

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4. Blend with a stick blender until completely smooth.

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5. Stir in the coconut milk, keeping back 2 tablespoons for serving, and the salt, and warm through for 3 minutes without boiling.

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6. Stir in the lime juice and taste for salt.

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7. Ladle into bowls and top with a swirl of coconut milk, the pumpkin seeds and coriander.

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Chef’s Tips

• Simmer until the kumara is very soft. Firm pieces leave the soup gritty.
• Add the coconut milk after blending, and do not boil it.
• Finish with lime. It stops the sweetness feeling heavy.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• For a non-vegan version, double cream can generally stand in for the coconut milk; going the other way, a plant-based cream sold for cooking is the closer match to dairy than tinned coconut milk on its own.
• Lemon is the everyday swap for lime in this kind of dish — the acidity plays the same role even though the flavour is not identical.
• A quarter-teaspoon of ground ginger per tablespoon of fresh is the standard ratio if you are working from the spice rack rather than a fresh root.

Pairing Suggestions

• Crusty bread
• A cheese roll
• A green salad

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate up to 4 days and reheat gently. Freeze for 3 months. It thickens as it sits, so loosen with stock or water.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.