This is one of my favourite hearty soups because it’s got more flavour than an early 90’s rapper. It’s spicy, it’s smoky and it’s sweet.
I’m uncertain of it’s origins geographically speaking but I’d peg it somewhere in South America. I’m sensing a peruvian/cuban thang going on. Excuse my obvious ignorance to any Peruvians/Cubans out there reading this – it’s a stab in the dark I’ll be honest as I’m Australian with Mediterranean influences so my south american knowledge is sub-par to appalling. If it makes you feel any better whatsoever, I do like what you guys are doing over there. Evidently.
This is an adaptation of an adaptation… which is probably an adaptation. My original recipe is thermomix-free if that’s how you roll. It’s an easy cook and certainly one that can be adapted to whatever you have in your fridge/pantry.
Serves: 6
Time: prep 20 mins, cook 30 mins
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon smoky paprika
- 1 teaspoon of red chilli flakes, to taste
- 5 cloves fresh garlic, skin on
- 1 medium red onion
- 2 cups corn kernels
- 1 large sweet potato, peeled
- 400ml tin diced tomatoes
- 2-3 tomatoes, halved
- 50g large green chillies (about 5 big ones)
- 1l vegetable stock (or water)
- 200-400ml coconut milk (to taste – I prefer a less creamy soup so I go for the bottom of the range)
- 300g smoked chicken, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- salt and ground pepper, to taste
- A quick drizzle of raw agave nectar or honey, to taste
- 3 tablespoons coriander
- 2 limes, juiced (keep a wedge or two for garnish)
- olive oil
Gear
- Thermomix
- Roasting Pan
Method
- Preheat oven to 250c
- Throw your garlic and green chillies into the roasting pan with a splash of olive oil
- Place the roasting pan in the oven. Let it go for a good 10 minutes or so before moving onto the next step.
- Dry roast your cumin in the TMX 5 min/100°C/speed 1
- Grind the cumin to powder 40 secs/speed 9
- Set cumin aside
- Add a lug of olive oil and the onion
- Saute 6 min/100°C/speed 1
- Add the cumin, paprika, chilli flakes and cook 2 min/100°C/speed 1
- Check that your chillis have some nice dark roasty spots and are looking a liiiiitle bit wrinkly and your garlic is looking soft and a little coloured. If so, pull it out of the oven.
- Chop the tops of your chillies off then drop the chillis into the mixing bowl
- Squeeze the garlic out of it’s skins into the mixing bowl
- Add the sweet potato
- Blitz for 10 secs/speed 3
- Add the corn, tinned & fresh tomatoes and stock
- Cook 20 mins/100°C/speed 2.
- Add the coconut milk to the soup and season it to taste with sea salt, pepper and add a drizzle of agave/honey.
- Blend 30 secs/speed 7.
- Place the basket into the TMX and add the chicken.
- 5 mins/70°C/speed 2. The length of time will depend on the size of your chicken pieces.
- Remove the basket and add the lime juice and rip up the coriander before dropping that in too. 3 secs/speed 2.
- Return the chicken to the soup before serving.
- Serve into bowls, garnish with a lime wedge and prepare yourself for some satisfying happiness.
