Supo Esi (Papaya Soup)

About This Recipe

Supo esi is a traditional Samoan soup that uses unripe papaya as a vegetable. The green papaya softens into the broth, which is enriched with coconut milk for a mildly sweet, creamy finish.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1 mediumgreen papaya(peeled, seeded, cut into cubes)
• 1 cancoconut milk(400 ml)
• 4 cupschicken or vegetable broth
• 1 smallonion(sliced)
• 2 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1 tspsalt

Instructions

1. 1

   Sauté aromatics

   In a pot, heat a drizzle of oil over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic 3 minutes until softened.

2. 2

   Add papaya

   Add green papaya cubes and stir to coat with the aromatics.

3. 3

   Add broth

   Pour in broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes until papaya is tender.

4. 4

   Add coconut milk

   Stir in coconut milk and season with salt. Simmer gently 5 minutes. Do not boil vigorously after adding coconut milk.

   A low simmer keeps the coconut milk smooth and prevents curdling.

Variations

• •

  Add cooked chicken pieces for a heartier soup.

• •

  Use butternut squash if green papaya is unavailable.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat gently.

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