Thai Borscht

Quarter the beets and put them in a small pot with a pinch of salt and enough water to cover them by about 1/2 inch (1 cm). Bring them to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat to a low boil until the beets are easily pierced with a sharp knife, about 45 minutes, depending on the size of the beet(s).

While the beets boil, make the curry paste: Using a mortar and pestle, pound the shallot, garlic, and chile together with the coriander, ginger, galangal, lemongrass, and lime leaves until you get a coarse paste. Add the lime juice, zest, and sweetener and work them in gently until you get a smoother, looser consistency. Set the paste aside.

Remove the tender beets from the pot and put them into a bowl of cold water, changing the water once or twice to cool them down enough to handle. Use your thumbs to slip the skins off the beets, then dice them. Put the coconut oil in a deep saucepan and set it over medium heat. Add the onion and cook over medium-low heat until translucent, about 5 minutes, then add the curry paste and stir it into the onions, cooking for about 5 minutes more. Add the beets and salt, pour in the coconut milk and stock, stirring well, and cook at a lively simmer for 10 to 15 minutes more.

Take the pot off the heat. Using an immersion blender, purée the soup well: Move it around to gobble up all the beet and onion chunks. If using a regular blender, let the soup cool before carefully blending it in batches that don’t exceed half the blender’s volume. Once blended, push the soup through a fine strainer into a clean saucepan. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt if needed, bring back to a simmer, and serve. Garnish each cup or bowl with a couple of cilantro leaves.