dessert soup

I’m amused by how many pictures I’m taking of food these days. I try to pay attention (at least when cooking for others) to how my food is presented, and now that I’m sharing with you, well, I want it all to look pretty! That said, the hand in the photo below belongs to the man in the line at the lunch buffet in the Chinese restaurant. “Oh”, he laughed, “you don’t eat, you just take pictures!” “No,” I explained, “I already ate and it is good. May I please take a picture of your soup?”

I’m still working out the recipe based on the bowl of “dessert soup” that I enjoyed. I was quite sure about the tapioca and the squash, the server said he thought there was taro involved as well. The soup tasted only slightly sweet, a little “flour-y”, and, while you could see the tapioca, there was no “fish-eye” texture at all. The soup was creamy but not as thick as my potato soup, and it was very very good. This is pretty close:

Dessert Soup

1/2 cup tapioca
2 cups taro, peeled and cubed
1 can of coconut milk (unsweetened)
1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut in small cubes
salt
2 T agave syrup
water (see below)

In a large (3 quart or bigger) bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Salt as for cooking pasta. Add taro and cook until tender (about 20 minutes). Strain to drain excess water and mash with a fork until majority of the taro is smooth. Set aside.

Return the now empty pot to the heat, add 1 quart of fresh water and bring to a boil. Add the tapioca and boil for 5 minutes, turn off the heat, cover and set aside for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes it should appear “soupy” and the tapioca should be translucent.

Put the mashed taro and the coconut milk in the pot with the tapioca. Whisk the mixture gently until blended. Add 1 cup water, stir to mix and add the squash. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the squash is tender. Add the agave syrup and stir in. Check for sweet/salt and add more agave syrup or salt to taste. If the mixture is too “pudding-like”, add more coconut milk or water.

Serve warm as a dessert, or possibly for breakfast!
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Let me know what you think of this one. I think I may have to go back for another bowl just to be sure I got it right!

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