SWEET POTATO SOUP WITH CRUNCHY CORN
Vegan and Gluten-Free

Preparation Time: About 45 minutes
Serves: 4 to 6

1 fennel bulb and stalks
2 celery ribs
1 medium or large leek bulb plus an inch of the light green shank
2 tablespoons coconut or avocado oil
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
6 cups Easy Vegetable Soup Stock
2 extra-large sweet potatoes (at least 2 cups chopped)
4 to 8 ears of sweet corn on the cob
A handful or more of fresh cilantro or dill
3 large mint leaves
1 to 2 limes
1 to 2 teaspoons mineral salt

Cook’s Tip: You can also use only 4 cups of stock and 2 cups water. If you don’t want to make fresh stock, add ½ teaspoon of ground turmeric to step 3.

1. Wash and slice the fennel bulb into quarters, remove the hard core, and then cut each quarter into slices about ¼-inch thick, followed by halving those slices. Also, slice the stalks into ⅛-inch-thick rounds. (See short video for how to prepare a fennel bulb.)

2. Wash and slice the celery and leek into thin (approximately ⅛-inch) slices.

3. Put the oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the leek slices and cook until they turn golden and just start to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the cumin and coriander and stir for about 15 seconds. Add the soup stock (or turmeric followed by water) along with the fennel and celery, and bring to a boil. Once it begins to boil, reduce the heat to medium, cover the pot, and cook for at least 15 minutes until the fennel and celery are tender.

4. While the vegetables are cooking, peel and chop the sweet potatoes into 1- or 2-inch chunks. Add these chunks to the soup pot when the other vegetables seem tender or close to tender. Recover the pot.

5. While the sweet potatoes are cooking, shuck and clean the corn. Scrub each ear with a vegetable brush to remove all the silk. Cut the kernels off each cob. Wash and finely chop the cilantro (or dill) and the mint. When the potatoes and the rest of the vegetables are all tender, add the mint and a handful of cilantro or dill to the soup. Purée the soup with an immersion blender. (Alternatively, purée it in a blender.)

6. Add the corn to the puréed soup and let it simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Add salt to taste. Squeeze the juice from half a lime into the soup and stir. Cut the remaining half-lime into 4 or 6 pieces (depending on how many people you’re serving). Serve one slice of lime with each bowl and, if you wish, garnish the soup with additional herbs. Serve warm or cool to room temperature.

Ayurvedic Note: If you have difficulty digesting corn, try adding some fresh ginger to the soup. If that’s not helpful, you may want to avoid corn altogether. Many people who are sensitive to gluten are also sensitive to corn and corn-based products.