Coconut-Ginger Soup With Greens

By Yasmin Fahr

Ready In: 45 Mins

Ingredients

Yield: 4 Servings (about 8 cups)

• 2 tablespoons coconut or vegetable oil

• 4 spring onion, white and green parts thinly sliced

• 4 garlic cloves, grated or minced

• 2 tablespoons finely grated unpeeled ginger (from a 2-inch piece)

• Salt and black pepper

• 2 teaspoons ground turmeric

• ½ cup long-grain white rice

• 1 quart (4 cups) low-sodium vegetable broth

• 1 (14-ounce) can full-fat or light coconut milk 

• 5 packed cups baby spinach or roughly chopped, destemmed chard or kale

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

• ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, gently torn

• 1 lime, halved

• Crushed red pepper (optional), for serving

Preparation

Step 1

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high until melted. Add the spring onions, garlic and ginger, and season with salt. Stir occasionally until the spring onions soften, about 1 ½ minutes. Stir in the turmeric and a few grinds of pepper. 

Step 2

Add the rice, stirring to coat for about 1 minute. Pour in the broth, coconut milk and 2 cups of water, and scrape any spices from the bottom of the pot.

Step 3

Raise the heat to bring the liquid to just under a boil, with bubbles starting to break across the surface, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer with small bubbles actively breaking across the surface. Let cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure nothing is sticking on the bottom. 

Step 4

Stir in the greens and cook until the greens and rice are tender, about 5 minutes more. 

Step 5

Stir in the soy sauce and most of the cilantro and squeeze in the juice of half the lime. Taste and add more lime or salt as needed. 

Step 6

Garnish with the remaining cilantro, a few grinds of black pepper and crushed red pepper, if using, and serve.