Molokaʻi Sweet Potato-Lemongrass Bisque

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup sweet onion, chopped
• 1 tsp garlic, minced
• 1 tsp ginger, fresh, minced
• 2 lbs Moloka’i sweet potato, peeled and chopped
• 1 cup carrot, chopped
• 3 stalks lemongrass, outer layers removed, bulbs split open
• ¼ cup coconut milk, canned
• 2 cups vegetable broth, low-sodium
• 2 kaffir lime leaves, torn (or 1 tbsp fresh lime juice)
• ½ tsp salt
• dash of cayenne pepper
• 2 tbsp cilantro leaves, chopped

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a pot and add onion.
2. Cook about 5 minutes until soft.
3. Add garlic and ginger and cook 1 minute.
4. Add the sweet potato, carrot, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaf. Add broth and enough water to cover contents and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15-20 minutes.
6. Remove lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves.
7. Reserve 1½ cup cooking liquid then add coconut milk, salt and cayenne pepper. Blend in a blender until smooth. (Add lime juice at this time if not using kaffir lime leaves.)
8. Add more water if too thick to create desired consistency.
9. Garnish with cilantro if desired.
10. Notes: Kaffir lime leaves and lemongrass are common ingredients used in Southeast Asian cookery. They are fibrous and are not for ingestion, but they are very aromatic, adding a refreshing fragrence to the dish. The ginger can also be substituted with galangal, also known as Thai ginger, which imparts an additional aromatic dimension to the soup. All of these ingredients are found at farmers markets and Chinatown markets in Hawai’i.

Optional: Lemon juice may be used instead of kaffir leaves.
Add celery to soup.
Add extra garlic.