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Indonesian Sweet Potato & Cabbage Soup

A hearty soup inspired by Indonesian gado gado sauce, fragrant and spicy with ginger and cayenne, rich with peanut butter and sweet potatoes.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 4, yields 8 cups

Ingredients

1 tablespoon grated peeled ginger root
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups chopped cabbage (1/2-inch pieces)
2 1/2 cups diced sweet potatoes (about 1 pound)
1 quart vegetable broth (see page 295)
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Mung bean sprouts (optional)
Chopped cilantro, scallions, mint, and/or Thai basil (optional)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a soup pot on medium heat, cook the ginger, garlic, and cayenne in the oil for a minute before adding the onions and salt. Cover and cook, stirring often, until the onions soften, about 5 minutes.

    Step 2

    Stir in the cabbage and sweet potatoes. Add about 3 1/2 cups of the broth. Cover and increase the heat to bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

    Step 3

    In a bowl, whisk together the peanut butter and the remaining 1/2 cup of broth until smooth. Add the peanut butter mixture to the soup with the tomatoes and soy sauce. Simmer covered until all the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

    Step 4

    Serve each bowl topped with bean sprouts and cilantro, scallions, mint, and/or basil.

Cover of the cookbook Moosewood Simple Suppers with a red floral motif.
From Moosewood Restaurant Simple Suppers: Fresh Ideas for the Weeknight Table. Copyright © 2017 by Moosewood Collective. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Penguin Random House, LLC. Buy the full book from ThriftBooks or Amazon.
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