In Korea, eating out at a restaurant costs about the same as buying ingredients and cooking for yourself. There are pros and cons to this: on the one hand, it gives you the opportunity to taste what the community has to offer; on the other hand this can be difficult as a vegetarian. Plus, sometimes you just want to stay home and cook a nice meal. J and I have been on a healthy soup bender lately, so I’ve been trying my hand at being resourceful in a country with limited options. On a chilly day like today, I always crave warm hearty soups. Potatoes and leeks immediately came to mind, as they’re some of the only “Western” vegetables available in the market that I live in. It’s also a bit of a challenge to get cream or half-and-half, so I challenged myself to come up with a tasty recipe using soy milk instead. Turns out, I actually prefer the vegan version. It turned out great, and is an easy meal that won’t break the bank. Enjoy!
Prep time: 5-10 minutes
Cook time: 15-20 minutes
Ingredients:
- 3 potatoes, washed, peeled, and cubed
- 2 leeks, chopped
- 50 g green onion, chopped
- 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 – 1 3/4 c soy milk
- 3/4 c water
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp oil
- 1 tsp basil
- 1tsp mixed herbs
- salt and pepper, to taste
Method:
Heat oil in a pot on low heat. Added chopped garlic and sauté for two minutes, stirring semi-frequently to avoid overcooking. Add leeks and spring onions, and cook for 5 minutes. Next, add soy milk and water, and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and herbs, and allow the soup to boil until the potatoes are fully cooked (about 10 minutes). Remove the pot from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes. Using a hand blender, blend the mixture until smooth (about 2 minutes). Serve hot. I topped this one with sriracha- a Thai/Vietnamese hot sauce- and pan fried dough balls.
Yields 4 servings
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