Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2-3 tablespoons finely chopped onion
• 1/2 teaspoon each of ground cardamom and ginger
• pinch of grated lemon zest
• 150 g potatoes (3 small), peeled and diced
• 2 bundles white asparagus (about 24 pieces, 1 kg)
• 250 ml coconut milk
• 250 g cow's milk
• salt and pepper
• vegetable stock or water

Toppings

• 4 tablespoons thick sour cream 18% mixed with 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
• cooked rice (e.g. black whole grain) and lightly roasted in butter
• or small croutons

Preparation

1. Pour the oil into a pot with a thick bottom, add the onion, sprinkle with salt and braise over low heat for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, do not brown. Add cardamom, ginger and lemon zest, stir and braise together for about 15 seconds. Add potatoes, stir and braise for about 3 minutes stirring until potatoes are covered with oil and soften a bit.
2. Rinse the asparagus, cut off the hard and woody stems (about 3-4 cm), peel with a vegetable or potato peeler. Cut into about 3-4 cm pieces. Set aside the tips for decoration (steam cook them), and add the rest to the pot with potatoes. Sprinkle with salt, stir and braise for about 2 minutes stirring occasionally.
3. Pour in coconut milk, cow's milk and enough stock or water to cover the vegetables. Cook covered over low heat for about 15-20 minutes until vegetables are soft. Blend the soup and then pour through a strainer placed over a pot. Press the soup through directly into the pot using a pestle or the back of a spoon, getting rid of fiber-like pieces of asparagus. Season the soup if needed with salt and pepper (if you want to keep the perfectly white color of the soup, do not add pepper). If the soup is too thick, add vegetable stock or water.
4. Heat the soup, pour into bowls, decorate with asparagus tips cooked on steam and a small ball of cream mixed with chives. You can sprinkle with rice and/or freshly ground black pepper.