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Purée of Sweet Potato & Ginger Soup with Apple-Mint Raita

by Eva Katz

read reviews (4)

Slices of fresh ginger are simmered with the soup base to gently infuse it with warmth and mellow sweetness. The raita is the perfect cooling counterpart. If you like heat, leave the ribs attached to the jalapeño half. Serves 4-6

To learn more, read the article:
Cooking with Fresh Ginger

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mint jalapeño chiles sweet potatoes more more

For the soup:
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2-inch chunk (1 ounce) fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
1/2 fresh jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed, and left whole
2 lb. sweet potatoes (about 4 medium), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
5-1/2 cups homemade or low-salt canned chicken broth
1 tsp. kosher salt; more to taste
1/2 cup heavy cream (optional)
1 Tbs. fresh lime juice
1 Tbs. light brown sugar
Freshly ground white pepper

For the raita:
1/2 cup plain nonfat or low-fat yogurt
1/2 firm, sweet apple, such as Gala or Pink Lady, peeled, cored, and finely diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1/2 tsp. finely minced fresh jalapeño; more to taste
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Make the soup: Melt the butter in a soup pot over low heat. Cook the onion in the butter, stirring occasionally, until very soft but not browned, 10 to 13 min. Add the garlic, ginger, and cardamom and cook for another minute. Increase the heat to high and add the jalapeño, sweet potatoes, 4 cups of the broth, and the salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low, cover, and simmer until the potatoes are very soft, 15 to 20 min.

In a blender, purée the soup in batches until very smooth. Rinse and dry the pot and return the puréed soup to it. Add the remaining broth and the cream, if using, and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Add the lime juice and brown sugar, and season with salt and white pepper to taste.

Make the raita: While the soup is simmering, combine the yogurt, apple, mint, and jalapeño in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

To serve: Ladle the soup into individual bowls and add a dollop of the raita.

nutrition information (per serving):
Size : based on six servings; Calories (kcal): 250; Fat (g): 5; Fat Calories (kcal): 50; Saturated Fat (g): 3; Protein (g): 7; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 1; Carbohydrates (g): 46; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 1; Sodium (mg): 480; Cholesterol (mg): 10; Fiber (g): 6;

photo: Scott Phillips

From Fine Cooking 55 , pp. 60-65

January 1, 2003

user reviews

Rate this Recipe

by Cutters, 12/3/2012Try with Coconut Milk instead of cream

by DrKoob, 12/26/2010WOW! Best soup I have made in years. Previous reviewers are right. Would have been just as good without the cream. And having an immersion blender will save you the mess of having to put it into a blender. Really easy to make and has some really complex flavors. Next time I will either leave some of the ribs on the jalepeno or use two of them as I felt it could have used more heat. The raita was outstanding.

by Bonams, 4/6/2009Oh my goodness! This was the best soup! The raita is essential. Such a surprise to find the apple in our bowls. I'll bring this out again for Thanksgiving.

by lfolden, 3/15/2008This recipe is one that I use frequently. Spices go perfectly with the sweet potatoes. Easy to make, but I usually skip on the Raita as it doesn’t enhance the flavor.

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