Spicy Vegetable Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

300 ml boiling water
4 tablespoons desiccated coconut
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 inch piece gingerroot, peeled and grated
2 green chilies, finely chopped
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 1/4 liters vegetable stock
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 carrots, thinly sliced
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 leek, thinly sliced
2 ounces green beans, chopped
salt (or soy sauce)
1 lemon, juice of

Preparation

Pour the boiling water over the desiccated coconut; leave to steep for 15 minutes to make coconut milk; strain to remove any fibers.
Heat the sunflower oil in a pan and add the onion, cook for 2-3 minutes until soft then stir in the garlic, ginger, chillies and turmeric; heat through to make a sticky paste, stirring to prevent burning.
Add the stock and coconut milk and heat through, then add the sugar, carrots, celery, leek and green beans; simmer gently for 30 minutes.
Add salt and soy sauce to taste; stir in lemon juice just before serving.