Raw winter soups...

I love winter soups and raw soups are delicious. My most favourite raw winter soup would have to be this tasty Thai yellow curry soup. It is so fragrant and full of flavour, that it is guaranteed to please everyone. I make this soup often, though it does require a little preparation, it is well worth the extra effort.

I start by making fresh coconut milk by blending the milk from a brown coconut with its white flesh. I then squeeze the liquid pulp through a nut bag to extrude as much of the delicious creamy coconut milk as possible. The coconut pulp is stored in the fridge and kept for other purposes. Set milk aside. 

In the high speed blender I combine:
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 Tablespoons Nama Shoyu
piece of fresh ginger the length of 1/2 a thumb
juice of a lime
1 teaspoon salt
pinch of cracked black pepper
1/2 chili
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric
dash of mild curry powder
1 small shallot or spring onion
2 cloves or garlic

Once these ingredients are blended to create a smooth paste, I carefully add the fresh coconut milk and gently mix to blend evenly. I will let the mixture blend on a gentle speed for a minute to warm slightly.
Pour into a bowl and garnish with carrot noodles, kelp noodles, zucchini noodles, thin strips of leek, mushroom, capsicum, what ever you wish.


I also like to make a Thai green curry soup version using the same method above by making fresh coconut milk.
I then proceed to make a green curry paste by blending together in the high speed blender:

2 stalks of lemon grass
3 chili's
3 kaffir lime leaves
1 cup of fresh coriander
1/4 cup of fresh basil leaves
1 cm cube of ginger
1/4 red onion
2 teaspoons ground coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin seeds
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons nama shoyu
1 tablespoon agave
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
juice of half a lime.

Depending on personal preference, as to how much paste to add to coconut milk, I like to begin by adding a spoonful at a time, tasting as I go until I reach a desired taste. The remaining paste can be stored in the fridge a week or more. I garnish this soup similar to details described above.

Another quick, current favourite soup of mine is ginger and carrot soup.

Simply blend until smooth:
3 cups of chopped carrot
2 cups of water
2 avocados
2 garlic cloves
3 teaspoons of ginger juice
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
pinch of chili powder
cracked black pepper

These amounts can be adjusted to taste - I generally add a bit extra pepper or ginger juice etc. blend for a few minutes to warm and then serve with sprouts and a dash of olive oil. I like to eat my carrot soup with a side of crackers for dipping.

These spicy living soups are sure to keep me warm this winter.