Thai lime-vegetable soup

Cooking time 20 minutesPreparation time 20 minutes

Makes 14 cups (3.5 L)

Take a few sips of our Thai coconut-vegetable soup and you'll fall in love with its silky smoothness laced with a hint of lime.

Ingredients

• 4 garlic cloves or 2- 1/2 tsp (12 mL) bottled chopped garlic
• 2 onions
• Vegetable oil
• 1/2 small butternut squash or 1/2 lb (250 g) pkg peeled and chopped fresh butternut squash pieces
• 4 carrots
• 900 mL carton vegetable broth
• 2 (400-mL/14-oz) cans unsweetened coconut milk
• 2 tsp (10 mL) hot chili-garlic sauce
• 1 each yellow and orange pepper
• 3 celery stalks
• 1 large lime
• 1 cup (250 mL) coarsely chopped fresh coriander

1. Mince garlic. Coarsely chop onions. Lightly oil a large wide saucepan or pasta pot and set over medium-low heat. Add garlic and onions. Stir often until onions soften, 6 to 8 minutes. Meanwhile, if using half a butternut squash, scoop out and discard seeds. Peel and cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) cubes. If using packaged squash, cut large pieces into 1-inch (2.5-cm) cubes. Thinly slice carrots.
2. When onions are soft, pour in broth.  Stir in coconut milk, chili-garlic sauce, squash and carrots. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring often. Then reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered and stirring often, until squash and carrots are almost tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, core and seed peppers. Coarsely chop. Thinly slice celery. When squash is almost done, add peppers and celery. Bring to a boil, then simmer, uncovered and stirring often, until vegetables are done as you like, 5 to 8 more minutes. Stir in juice of half a lime. Add coriander. Taste and add more lime juice, if needed. Soup will keep well, covered and refrigerated, up to 4 days or freeze up to 2 months. To serve, defrost and reheat in the microwave. If soup separates, stir or whisk until mixed. Or place in a saucepan and stir often over medium-low heat.