Rainbow Vegetable Soup

Why people make this soup

Office workers often eat out, and Nourilo points out those meals tend to be heavy on meat, light on vegetables, and fond of deep-frying — over time not great for blood lipids, blood sugar or the gut. He likes to balance things with a vegetarian soup now and then. Because different-coloured vegetables, fruits and nuts carry different nutrients, mixing colours makes for a more balanced pot. Here he used carrot, asparagus, corn, shiitake, cashews and red-skin peanuts; the result is clear and naturally sweet, and is traditionally seen as supporting gut health and the body’s resilience.

Method

1. Peel the carrot and cut into chunks. Wash the asparagus and cut into segments. Husk the corn and cut up.
2. Soak the shiitake until soft and remove the stems; soak and rinse the cashews and peanuts.
3. Put everything in a pot with 2.4 L of water and simmer 1 hour down to 1.2 L; eat both the soup and the ingredients.

Nourilo’s Tips

This soup suits young and old and is especially good for picky-eating children. Taken regularly, it is traditionally seen as helpful for guarding against the three highs.