- 3 lessons you can learn from polyamorous relationships - 25 October, 2022
- Why Roe v. Wade isn’t just a women’s issue, but a humanity issue - 7 September, 2022
- Interview: Caleb Everett: ‘you know she keeps a diary – and it all goes in’ - 22 December, 2020
The erroneously named ‘coconut’ (actually a type of drupe), is related to plums, peaches and olives.
Packed full of vitamins, minerals, electrolytes and friendly fats, it’s an excellent ingredient. You can also get it as coconut yogurt which, as we’re about to learn, is very versatile and healthy, while also being dairy free.
The Coconut Collaborative’s yogurt forms the basis of this delicious Thai recipe from Sophie Gordon.
Sophie says, “I’ve teamed up with The Coconut Collaborative to make an aromatic Thai roasted butternut squash and coconut soup that’s completely dairy free! This soup is full of flavour, and still deliciously rich and creamy.
“Coconut yogurt is so versatile and you can use it in so many ways. The coconut water in the yogurt is packed with electrolytes and minerals that help to aid digestion and boosts your metabolism. The coconut flesh itself is bursting with potassium and fatty acids that are used as energy and not stored as body fat.”
Thai Roasted Butternut Squash and Coconut Soup
What you’ll need:
1 medium sized butternut squash
3 carrots
1 leek
2 small garlic cloves
Small knob of ginger – grated finely
1 tsp dried lemon grass
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp cayenne pepper
Handful of fresh coriander
Chilli flakes
2L vegetable stock (roughly)
350g The Coconut Collaborative yogurt
¼ – ½ lime – juiced
Salt and pepper to taste
To serve: optional*
Fresh coriander
Cumin seeds
Rice of choice – allow ½ cup per person
What to do:
- Pre heat your oven to around 190°c. Slice your butternut squash in half (length ways), de-seed and then place flat onto a baking sheet; insides down. Put into the oven and roast for around 35-40 minutes.
Put your rice on as rice takes a little longer to cook; follow packet instructions for correct water to rice ratio.
Chop up your leeks and carrots. Sauté in some water with the garlic and ginger until a little softer. Add the ground coriander, cumin, turmeric, cayenne pepper, lemon grass and chilli. Continue to fry, adding a little more water if it starts to dry up.
Once this is fragrant and the carrots and leeks soft, add in your vegetable stock. Bring to the boil then allow to simmer for around 10 minutes; season with salt and pepper to taste.
Once your squash is done, remove from the oven and let it cool for a few moments. Scoop out the insides. They should be very soft so will easily come away from the skin.
Put into the pot with the stock and mix. Bring back to the boil and then add a squeeze of lime and the fresh coriander, season to taste.
Using a hand held blender, blitz your soup until thick and creamy. Add the coconut yoghurt and stir well.
To serve, ladle a good serving of the soup into a bowl, adding rice if desired. Top with some fresh coriander and any other seasonings.
*You could also add another dollop of coconut yoghurt on at the end to make it extra creamy.
To join The Coconut Collaborative head to coconutco.co.uk or check out their Twitter, Facebook and Instagram pages @coconutcollab. The Coconut Collaborative yogurt is available in various flavours from Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Ocado.
