Thai Coconut Curry Soup

This fall recipe reflects the kind of globally inspired yet deeply nourishing meals often served at The Expanding Light. As the days grow cooler and the air turns crisp, warming soups become a natural centerpiece in the retreat kitchen. Drawn from recipes such as those found in Global Kitchen: A Cookbook of Vegetarian Favorites, this dish embodies the retreat philosophy — vibrant flavors, wholesome ingredients, and food prepared with calm awareness.

During autumn programs at The Expanding Light, guests often gather after a day of meditation, yoga, or nature walks to enjoy comforting seasonal meals like this one. At The Seclusion Retreat, where simplicity and inward focus are emphasized, fall recipes are chosen for their warmth, grounding qualities, and gentle nourishment. A soup like this — subtly spiced, creamy with coconut milk, and balanced with fresh lime and cilantro — offers both physical warmth and quiet upliftment as the season invites us inward.


Serves 4 (about 2 cups each)

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp coconut oil

  • 1 large red onion, diced

  • 1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger

  • 2 Tbsp Thai red curry paste

  • 1 small sweet potato, cubed

  • 1 bunch baby bok choy (stems and leaves separated, chopped)

  • 4 cups vegetable broth

  • 1 (13 oz) can coconut milk

Garnishes

  • A handful of fresh cilantro

  • 1 lime, cut into wedges

Instructions

  1. Dice the onion and ginger, cube the sweet potato, and chop the bok choy — keeping the stems separate from the leaves (the leaves will be added at the very end).

  2. In a medium pot, sauté the onion in coconut oil over medium heat until lightly golden.

  3. Add the grated ginger and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring gently.

  4. Stir in the red curry paste until fragrant.

  5. Add the sweet potato and bok choy stems. Sauté for 3–5 minutes.

  6. Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the sweet potatoes are tender.

  7. Stir in the coconut milk and add the chopped bok choy leaves. Simmer just until the leaves soften.

  8. Salt to taste.

Serve warm, garnished with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime.

Variation: Mushrooms can be substituted for the sweet potato for a lighter version.