| Prep: 20 mins | Cook: 40 mins | Difficulty: Moderate | Serves: 6 |
| kcal | fat | saturates | carbs |
| 200 | 7g | 6g | 32g |
| sugars | fibre | protein | salt |
| 14g | 4g | 2g | 0.04g |
Purple Yam and Sweet Coconut Soup: A Love Story
As many a good plate of spaghetti or robustly sauced meatball implies, food for me has always been a direct route to the heart. And this holds true even when I venture away from my Italian-American roots. The beauty of food is in its ability to transport us to new places, even while anchored in our own kitchen. Take for example, the remarkable Purple Yam and Sweet Coconut Soup. It might not be a dish my Nonna would recognize, but I assure you, it’s a hearty little number that offers comfort and intrigue in equal measures, much like a good Sunday Marinara.
A Soup with Roots
With my fondness for the rustic and familial, one might be surprised to find a staple of Filipino cuisine gracing my table. Yet, the Purple Yam and Sweet Coconut Soup has endeared itself to my palette for its simple, earthy flavors intensified by the whisper of sweetness from coconut milk and palm sugar. This vegetable-based soup isn’t so far removed from the rustic soups I was raised on, made by my Italian grandparents. The base here is the unique purple yam, known as ube, a common ingredient in Filipino cooking.
These purple-hued tubers offer more than just a colorful bowl. They are packed with essential vitamins and minerals, most notably a high dose of Vitamin C and potassium. And while we’re on the subject of health benefits, let’s not forget the goodness of coconut milk, providing us with healthy fats and MCTs (Medium Chain Triglycerides).
Pairing Possibilities
I love this soup as a standalone dish, but the reality is that its delicate flavors make it a wonderful companion to other dishes too. It pairs exceptionally well with grilled fish or a fragrant jasmine rice dish. If you ask me, the gentle taste of this soup is the perfect way to balance against stronger, spicier flavors like a good Bicol Express or Adobo.
What You’ll Need
- 3 medium Purple Yams, peeled and cut into chunks
- 4 cups of Water
- 1 cup of Coconut Milk
- 1/2 cup of Palm Sugar (can be replaced with brown sugar)
- 1/4 teaspoon of Salt
- 1 Pandan leaf, tied in a knot
- 1/2 cup of Tapioca Pearls
Method
Step One
Start by washing and peeling the purple yams. Once you’ve peeled them, cut them into chunks.
Step Two
Place the purple yam chunks into a pot. Add the 4 cups of water, coconut milk, salt, and palm sugar.
Step Three
Find the pandan leaf and tie it into a knot. Add this to the pot as well.
Step Four
Bring the mixture to a boil. Once it’s boiling, reduce the heat and let it simmer. Keep checking and stirring occasionally. Let it simmer until the purple yams are soft.
Step Five
In the meantime, prepare the tapioca pearls. Follow the instructions on the package to cook them.
Step Six
Once the yams are soft and the tapioca pearls are cooked, add the pearls into the soup and stir them in well. Continue to let it simmer for about 5 more minutes.
Step Seven
After the 5 minutes, the soup is ready to serve! You can serve it hot, or let it cool down and serve it chilled.
