This has always been our most popular vegetarian soup.Made with coconut milk, lime juice, tomatoes, and ginger, it’s hot, sweet, sour, and luscious all in the same bite. Our shops in Boston are near some of the best colleges and universities around.Many of the students who come in are vegetarians with diverse and eclectic tastes, and this seems to satisfy them.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large Spanish onion, peeled and diced
4 carrots, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup diced celery
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound butternut squash, peeled and diced into chunks
2 cups (16 ounces) canned diced tomatoes
2 cups (16 ounces) canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
12 cups vegetable stock
2 cups tomato juice
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 can (14 ounces) coconut milk
1 teaspoon minced Scotch bonnet chile pepper (see note)
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Heat a stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Sauté for 10 minutes. Add the butternut squash and sauté an additional 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, chickpeas, stock, tomato juice, soy sauce, lime juice, ginger, coriander, coconut, and brown sugar. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the squash is tender, 35 to 40 minutes.

Remove from the heat and add the coconut milk, chile pepper, cilantro, salt, and pepper.

Makes 12 servings. Scotch bonnet chile peppers are loaded with heat and an exotic flavor and aroma. A close cousin is the habanero pepper. You may substitute bottled habanero hot sauce (available at supermarkets and Caribbean specialty shops) if you cannot find fresh Scotch bonnet peppers.