Parsnip and coconut soup

Ingredients

• Olive oil (2 tbsp)
• 1 large onion, skinned and roughly chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 piece of fresh root ginger, skin scraped off and chopped (25mm/1 inch cubed)
• Garam masala (1 tbsp)
• 6 parsnips (about 600g/1lb 5oz), scrubbed clean and roughly chopped
• Full fat coconut milk (500ml/17floz)
• Vegetable stock (1 ltr/1¾ pints)
• Salt and black pepper

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion, garlic, ginger and garam masala. Gently fry the mixture for about three to five minutes, until the onions begin to soften but not colour.
2. Add the chopped parsnips and mix well with the other ingredients to bring out all the flavours.
3. Pour the coconut milk and stock into the saucepan. Season with salt and pepper and bring the soup to the boil. Stir well.
4. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook with the lid on for 30 minutes.
5. Check the parsnips are soft by piercing through to the centre with a sharp knife. Remove the soup from the heat and blend to a smooth purée with a blender or food processor.
6. Adjust seasoning to taste

Benefits

• Suitable for people with a dry or sore mouth
• Suitable for people with loss of taste or smell
• Suitable for people with problems chewing
• Suitable for vegetarians

Nutritional information

Energy 223.3kcal; Protein 4.6g; Total fat 9g (of which saturates 1.8g); Carbohydrate 32.4g; Fibre 8g.

Thanks to the Oesophageal Patients Association| for contributing this recipe.