Reinventing every child's least favourite vegetables
Today’s soup is bright and fresh (words you would not typically associate with earthy beetroot* or brussels sprouts**) thanks to the coconut milk, lime, and ginger bringing in creaminess, tanginess, and a bit of spice.
*I recently learned that beets taste like dirt to some people because they contain an organic compound called geosmin!
** A 2019 survey of 2,000 Americans showed that turnips, beets and radishes were the top three least favorite vegetables, and brussels sprouts were the fourth least liked vegetable.
Instead of boiling or roasting the brussels sprouts whole, the leaves are peeled off one by one, tossed in a bit of toasted sesame oil, and roasted in the oven for about 10-15 minutes. You can also pop them in the air fryer if you have one. To stay entertained during the laborious process of peeling the sprout leaves one by one, I watched an episode of White Lotus.
Ingredients
(Serves 2 as a main or 4 as a starter)
- 6 large beets, washed and quartered
- 2 tb coconut oil, for cooking
- 2 large shallots, peeled and chopped
- A large piece of ginger, roughly chopped
- A lemongrass stick, roughly chopped
- Chicken or vegetable broth to cover
- 2 cups coconut milk (reserve a few spoons for garnish)
- 1 lime, quartered
- 1 cup Brussels sprouts, leaves peeled off
- A generous glug of toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 175 celsius.
- Toss the beets in the melted coconut oil, then roast in the oven for 45 minutes (turning once halfway through).
- Heat the remaining coconut oil in a pot and sauté the shallots, ginger, and lemongrass on a low flame, until soft and fragrant.
- Stir in the roasted beets, then cover with broth and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the beets are very soft.
- Meanwhile, pop your peeled and seasoned brussels sprouts leaves on a baking sheet and into the oven, roasting for 10-15 minutes (shake them around a few times to prevent them from burning)
- Transfer to a powerful blender - I’m a ride-or-die Vitamix believer (not sponsored but a girl can dream) - and blend well, adding the coconut milk at the end.
- Serve with a squeeze of fresh lime, a drizzle of sesame oil, and a handful of toasted Brussels sprout leaves.