Spicy Corn and Coconut Soup
- Total Time
- 30 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:4 servings
- 5ears yellow or bicolor corn (or 5 cups frozen corn kernels)
- 2tablespoons olive oil
- 2shallots, thinly sliced into rings
- 3garlic cloves, minced
- 1(1-inch) piece ginger, peeled and minced
- 1serrano chile (or other chile), minced
- 2small red potatoes (6 to 8 ounces total), cut into ½-inch cubes
- 2½cups vegetable broth (or 2½ cups of hot water whisked with 1½ teaspoons jarred bouillon)
- 1(15-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
- 1tablespoon lime juice (from ½ lime)
- Kosher salt, to season
- Torn cilantro leaves, toasted coconut flakes, chopped roasted peanuts, crispy fried shallots, lime wedges and more sliced Serrano chiles, to serve (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
479 calories; 31 grams fat; 22 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 50 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 12 grams sugars; 9 grams protein; 1220 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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- Step 1
Cut the corn kernels off the cobs and transfer to a bowl. Using the back of a butter knife, scrape the cobs so that all of the milky juices collect in the bowl and the cobs look completely dry, like wrung-out sponges. Set aside. (If using frozen kernels, skip this step.)
- Step 2
In a large stockpot over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add shallots, garlic, ginger and chile, and sauté, stirring occasionally, until soft and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Add corn kernels and juices to the pot, and sauté until the corn is softer and brighter, about 3 minutes more.
- Step 3
Add potato pieces, and stir to coat, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Step 4
Now, pour in the vegetable broth and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until the potatoes are tender all the way through.
- Step 5
Use an immersion blender to roughly purée the soup, so that it’s creamy with some kernels of corn, chunks of potato, and chile flecks remaining. (Alternatively, ladle about half of the soup into a blender, blend until smooth, and return to the pot.) Season with lime juice and salt, and mix to combine. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with toppings of your choice.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
Justician
Pet peeve: using garlic cloves and inches of ginger as measurements. Both of these aromatics vary widely in size. Instead, please give either weight in grams for those of us with kitchen scales, and/or an approximate volume measurement. How hard is it to say 2 tsp. minced garlic or 1 tbsp minced ginger? I have the same problem with asking for 1 hot pepper. They vary in size. If you agree, please vote this comment up. Thank you.
Jane Wilstern
Pet Peeve reader- as garlic and ginger are seasonings the exact measurements aren't essential, inches perhaps leaves it open to the cook to experiment or season to your own taste. Be wild and experiment !
Debbie Weinstein
I put the corn cobs into the soup while it was cooking to give it a more corny flavor. Fished them out before I pureed the soup.
slumom
Very good. I think adding crab or shrimp would be even better
Lesley
An easy way to collect the corn kernels is to position the cob over the hole on an upside down bundt cake pan, slice down the sides of the cob with a knife and the kernels will fall into the pan.
Dena
A real winner - will def make this again, and is company-worthy. I used unsalted homemade shrimp stock (that was in my freezer), and topped with a mixture of blue crab and chopped roasted cashews. I also simmered the cobs in the soup during the cooking time to amplify the corn flavor. Most time intensive part was getting the kernels + juice off the corn ears. The rest was quick.
RAMJ
So many ways to go with this recipe, or leave it as it stands. Fresh corn in the stores is at its best right now. Not a seafood lover, I can picture adding some shredded chicken breast or pork loin for a protein kick, if desired. The spicy serrano would/will always play well in this circle. I don't mind the generalized measurements. There are such things as good judgement, art, personal taste and experience in how we put a soup together. Making soup need not be as precise as baking a cake.
Krysten Chambrot, Senior Staff Editor, NYT Cooking
Hello! 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth should be used: The recipe has been updated to reflect that amount. Thank you for flagging.
Sarah
I added a splash of fish sauce at the end as well as switching the serrano pepper for two thai chiles... delicious!!!
anne
When I make a corn chowder I use 1:1 broth/milk ratio. I cook the corn cobs in water to make corn broth since I don't like traditional vegetable broth
Graham
Could frozen corn work for this recipe? If so, would the measurement be 2 cups of corn?
Holly
Made this last night for a dinner party. It was a hit. I also put 2 cobs on the BBQ to add a little roasted flavor, added about 1tsp fish sauce too, and some steamed prawns as a condiment., as well as some Thai basil. I used chicken broth, instead of vegetable.wish I made a double batch!
Rita
I like this recipe a lot. I did leave out the potatoes for dietary reasons and added some sautéed egg tofu rounds. My only complaint is that it needs volume measurement for the corn. For us, it was not a soup, it was creamed corn using coconut milk. Five ears could be any amount.
Kate
This really was as tasty as everyone said! Will definitely make again. I didn't even bother with the toppings. The only change I made was to throw in a tablespoon of a red curry paste I had open in my fridge. I think it was a good addition. I'm tossing tofu as my protein into each portion as I reheat the leftovers.
s
Googling around I saw that you can figure 3/4 cups of kernels to an ear, on average, but of course there is so much variation in size. I doubt it has to be very precise, though. It'll just be a little thicker or thinner.
Deborah
Added two TBS of miso to the soup along the way to balance out the sweetness of the corn and used fish stock instead of vegetable stock. Added in shrimp and spinach at the end to make a more complete meal. Served with the suggested condiments plus TJ’s Yuzu Hot Sauce. Everyone had seconds!
sjv
Great jumping off point. Made once as written and enjoyed. Had some other stuff in my fridge and varied it the next time. Leaned into the southeast Asian flavors more. Subbed veg stock for fish stock. Added lemongrass, fish sauce, a touch of sugar, and shrimp. Served chili on the side and it was a hit with the less adventurous eaters in our family.
Madtowncook
This was even better reheated the next day - the flavors had time to develop more fully. Next time I will give the soup some time to rest before serving.
ed
Salt as you go. Pour in a tiny amount of the broth at the same time you add the corn to prevent drying out. Use the whole lime.
Jane L.
This was delicious. I only had 3 ears of corn but they were sufficient. I cooked the cobs with the soup. They flavored the water that I used instead of vegetable broth. To make it a full meal, I included shrimp at the end. It cooked in 2 minutes. Then lime juice and cilantro. Yum!
Cake nerd
I thought the ginger and coconut milk were overpowering. The coconut milk made it seem heavy . Next time I would leave out ginger and use broth or milk .
sv
Delicious but there’s nothing spicy about it. Doubled the garlic & shallots. Would double - at least - the Serrano too, or switch out for a hotter chili
Judy
Wonderful! Especially with all the garnishes.
Kevin, NC
Didn't work for me. The flavor of the coconut milk and the corn seemed to compete with each other rather than integrating. The recipe just didn't come together as a fusion dish. Not bad, but it wasn't cohesive.
Yasssss
Added crab leg meat (budget friendly), used some leftover frozen and frozen Parm rinds, did the chuck the cobs in idea. Topping with frizzled shallots and garlic, basil, lime wedges and Sriracha. Baller and CHEAP.
Cg
Fish sauce at the end is a good addition. Perhaps a little chipotle...
lindsey
Very good soup! I blended it completely instead of leaving half chunky. I liked it better this way, it was more like a bisque than a corn creamed corn consistency. If adding shrimp or crab, like other comments have suggested (which I think would be phenomenal), I would only blend half, as the recipe dictates, then add the seafood at the end, more like a chowder. Either way, delicious and forgiving!
Lizzi
Made as directed w/a few inputs from others: added an additional cup of veggie broth and at the end added mahi chunks and 1tbs fish sauce. I wanted to keep it simple so I made sourdough croutons for the toppings-big hit! Will definitely make again.
Paul D
Made broth with the cobs, and agree about inches and cloves, though this way encourages flexibility. This soup is great cold, which is nice since you'll have leftovers!
V
Give the call for coconut milk and lime juice, I decided to add Penang curry paste (to taste) and was really delighted by the results. Particularly good for folks who seek some additional heat!
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