Potato, Paprika & Choko Soup (Vegan)

There’s nothing so comforting as the delightful combination of salt, spice & warmth, and our potato, paprika and choko soup fits the bill perfectly.

Chokos can be a little difficult to know how to use. Even if you grew up with a choko vine in the backyard, those vintage recipes can be a little ho-hum. Here, we take a fresh, modern approach, creating a super-tasty soup that’s quick to make from a couple of backyard veggies.

Sublime in both taste and texture, this low-fat, low-calorie winter warmer is light on the pocket and the waistline; it’s a real win-win. At once salty, smoky and filling, potato, paprika & choko soup is ideal as a lunch, an entree or as a main meal. It doesn’t really need bulking out, but a crusty Italian or garlic bread would be the perfect complement.

Here’s How to Make It

Chop the onion, chillies and garlic. Even if you’re not much into chillies, do make sure to include at least one fresh mild chilli here. Chillies do a lot to boost the flavour of vegetable-based meals. Heat the oil in a medium-sized soup pot over medium heat. (Don’t be afraid to use an infused oil- I used herb oil here and it was amazing!) Peel & chop the chokos and potatoes. I made the pieces quite small and evenly-sized, because this makes the soup cook quickly. It’s a good idea to wear disposable gloves while handling raw chokos, because they have a sort of sap which is likely to dry out your hands.

Sautee the onion, garlic, ginger and chillies until softened. Add the potato and choko, and stir to coat. Cook until slightly softened, about 5-10 minutes.

Add the smoked paprika and stir through. Make sure it adds plenty of colour to the mixture. Add the stock and blend well. You can use home-made, store-bought or powdered stock; all will work. I’ve chosen to use vegeta stock powder with water, as it’s quick & easy plus it eliminates the need to add salt. If using home-made stock, you may want to add some salt now.

Stir the mixture then cover with a lid and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until the veggies are very soft. This should take 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Blend, or mash then blend, until a smooth consistency is reached. Serve topped with finely sliced shallots.