Tomato coconut soup.
Hot damn, it's soup season!
So I had a tomato coconut soup from a box, and it was pretty good.
But I procured said soup-box at the mystical food graveyard that is my hometown Grocery Outlet, meaning that this soup doesn't exist in real life anywhere. Plus, I surmised I could make an even better bowl of it, without all the additives and Red 40s and whats-have-you, and thus is the origin story of Tiny House Tomato Coconut Soup, all blessings to Nox-al-Umbra the Great and Powerful, etc.
This vegan soup = big tomato flavor + rich texture. The creamy, slightly sweet coconut offsets the acid in the tomatoes, and five spice powder and cayenne amp the counterpoint of sweet and spicy.
As per the mise en lunch image above, I like to top it with crème fraîche (ALERT ALERT NOT VEGAN SORRY PEOPLE), something crunchy (like cabbage or crumbled plantain chips or both), a sprinkle of fresh lime juice, and lots of black pepper.
As an added bonus, here's one of my favorite rhymes about table manners, this one re: eating soup politely:
As little ships go out to sea,
I dip my spoon away from me.
Ha ha, this is so cute. I actually do this.
yours,
aa
Tomato Coconut Soup
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 20 to 25 minutes
Serves 2 to 4
Recommended pairing: Blonde ale (if you want to gel), or rich, barley-y stout (if you want to contrast a little).
What you’ll need
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 ½ tsp five spice powder
1 ¾ tsp ground cayenne pepper
1 28-oz. can ground peeled tomatoes (or tomato puree)
1 14-oz. can light coconut milk
½ c. coconut cream
Salt & pepper to taste
How to make it
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until it shimmers. Add onion, season with salt and pepper, and sweat until almost translucent, stirring frequently (3 to 4 minutes). Add remaining olive oil, five spice powder, and ground cayenne, and stir to coat onion. Cook approx. 2 minutes more, or until the onion is fully translucent and well-cloaked in spices.
Add tomatoes and coconut cream. Stir to combine (and to melt cream). Once cream is melted, add coconut milk. Season with salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to med-low and let your soup bubble away until it thickens, 15 to 20 minutes -- but definitely stir it a few times throughout, just to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom.
Remove from heat and let cool enough to pour into a food processor. Puree until it reaches your desired consistency (smooth, or a little chunky). Alt: Like me, you can use an immersion blender for this part. Just be careful! Flying hot soup is dangerous.
Reheat and serve: Ladle into bowls and garnish with whatever you want to garnish it with. I could imagine hoisin or chili jam, plus bean sprouts; sour cream, pork cracklins, and parsley; or even straight saltines. This soup is mad malleable! xx
