Green Herb Coconut Milk Soup -- vegan and divine

This rocks a combination of coconut milk, fennel seed, fresh basil, and fresh cilantro. That's what makes it so ... delicious. Lots of goodies like water chestnuts, savoy cabbage, baby bok chou, and broccoli. We love it.

making the broth:

ingredients:

12 cups water

dried shiitake mushrooms sliced 1 cup

dried kombu -- 1 piece 6  inches by 8 inches

sea salt and black pepper

fennel seed
anise seed


per 6 cups of broth:

peanut butter 2 tbsp

coconut milk 1 can

lime juice 2 tbsp

salt 

black pepper

chili powder

directions:

1. In a large pot place a large sheet of kombu (dashi kombu -- a kind of seaweed for making broth) and a cup of dried mushrooms

2. combine sea salt, black pepper, and fennel seed, and 12 cups of boiling water

3. simmer for 1 hour and then let sit until it cools

4. remove the sea weed and the mushrooms, and strain the broth, and add water to equal 12 cups again 

5. to 6 cups of strained broth add 1 can (400ml) coconut milk, 2 tbsp peanut butter (smooth), 2 tbsp lime juice, and salt and pepper/ chili powder to taste

to serve the soup:

ingredients:

1 1/2 cups broccoli florets in small pieces

1 1/2 cups steamed gluten -- cut into small pieces. You can substitute tofu if you prefer
1 1/2 cups savoy cabbage, chopped

1/2 cup water chestnuts sliced

1 1/2 cups baby bok choy
1/2 cup carrot sliced

4 tbsp each basil leaves and cilantro leaves finely chopped

To serve:

1. Bring the finished 6 cups of broth to a simmer, and adjust seasoning with lime juice, salt, and pepper. Feel free to add chili pepper flakes if you like

2. add bok choy, savoy cabbage, and carrot pieces and simmer for 10 minutes

2. add water chestnuts and gluten and simmer for 20 minutes

3. 
4. add broccoli and simmer for 5 minutes

5. add basil leaves and chilantro leaves and turn off the heat and let sit 2 minutes

5. serve, making sure you get some of each of the goodies into each bowl.

It really is pretty darn fabulous.