A gently spicy soup that pairs the sweetness of corn, hokkaido pumpkin and sweet potatoes with the creamy texture of coconut milk and a soft, spicy note of chili. Long cooking over low heat lets the flavors come together beautifully, and part of the vegetables is left in pieces for an interesting texture.
- Category
- soup
- Portion
- 300 g
- Yield
- 10 servings
- Nature (TCM)
- warming
- Nature (Ayurveda)
- vata ↓ · pitta ° · kapha °
TCM: Sweet pumpkin, ginger and chili warm the body, while corn and coconut milk round it all out into a gentle creaminess.
Ayurveda: A sweet, gently spiced soup that grounds vata and warms without weighing you down.
Ingredients
- Yellow onion (finely chopped) – 350 g
- Fennel bulb (diced) – 200 g
- Fresh ginger (coarsely chopped) – 80 g
- Vacuum-packed precooked corn (kernels removed) – 1 pack
- Hokkaido pumpkin (diced) – 700 g
- Sweet potatoes (diced) – 150 g
- Butternut squash (diced) – 150 g
- Frozen corn – 1 kg
- Fresh chili (or ½ tsp chili flakes – to taste) – 1
- Whole coriander seeds – 1 tsp
- Fennel seeds – 1 tsp
- Coconut milk – 600 ml
- Clear vegetable stock (for topping up) – about 2 l
- Salt – to taste
Method
Preparing the vegetables
- Clean and cut the onion, fennel, ginger, pumpkin, squash and sweet potatoes into small dice.
- Finely chop the fresh chili.
Sautéing the base
- Heat a little oil in a large pot over low heat. Sauté the onion and fennel until translucent (about 5 minutes).
- Add the ginger, chili, coriander and fennel seeds and toast briefly to release their aroma.
Cooking the soup
- Add all the pumpkin and squash, the sweet potatoes, the precooked corn and the frozen corn.
- Pour in the coconut milk and enough stock to cover the vegetables.
- Simmer very gently over low heat for at least 15 minutes, until the vegetables are completely soft.
Blending and finishing
- Blend about ⅔ of the soup until smooth with an immersion blender, leaving the rest chunky for texture.
- Season with salt and, if you like, a little more chili.
Serving
Serve hot in bowls, garnished with freshly chopped cilantro or parsley leaves. It goes beautifully with crusty gluten-free bread or corn chips.
Key ingredients
- Corn
- Sweetness and fibre; corn tortillas are gluten-free.
- Pumpkin
- Sweet, gentle and easy to digest; beta-carotene and potassium.
- Sweet potatoes
- Low-GI complex carbohydrates, beta-carotene, fibre; filling and sweet.
- Coconut milk
- Plant fat for creaminess without dairy; medium-chain fats.
- Onion
- Prebiotic fibre for the gut flora, anti-inflammatory flavonoids.
- Ginger
- Warming; supports digestion and circulation, anti-inflammatory; traditionally used for nausea and cold.
- Chilli / hot pepper
- Capsaicin — boosts circulation and metabolism; in small amounts supports digestion.
- Coriander seeds
- Soothes digestion and gently cools the heat of spices.
- Leek
- Gentle leek sweetness; prebiotic fibre.
Why it’s good for the body
- Corn kernels are naturally sweet and a source of fiber and antioxidants.
- Hokkaido pumpkin and sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotene and vitamin C.
- Ginger and chili traditionally support immunity and digestion.
- Coconut milk adds healthy fats and a gentle creaminess.
Traditional and functional notes on the ingredients — not medical claims.
Notes
- For a completely smooth version, you can blend the whole soup.
- Slow cooking makes it easier to digest and gives it a gentler flavor.
- The chili can be left out for a kids' or extra-mild version.