And I essentially follow the directions, which is rare for me. The only thing I don't bother with is separating parts of the cilantro - I just throw it all into the food processor. I marinate this at least overnight, and it's great under the broiler if you don't have the time to fire up the grill. It works with both coconut milk and coconut cream, and just throw the rest in with some jasmine rice. Heats up great for leftovers as well!

Reviewed On: Dec. 3, 2008

4 stars as written - I feel it needs a little more. I'm a native Minnesotan who has lived in the South for 11 years, so I like my food spicier and more garlicky than what I was raised on. I basically use this base recipe, then add 6-8 cloves of garlic when sauteing veggies as well as some diced red pepper. I also use a "curry masala" Indian seasoning that I buy instead of curry powder. Add cayenne, cumin, and/or minced hot peppers to taste for more heat. As others have said, the recipe is certainly forgiving. You can some various dairy products to reduce fat, and while it changes the taste and consistency, the soup is still good. Just remember that you'll have to add more milk than you would cream, so use less stock and vice versa.

Reviewed On: Aug. 29, 2008

This soup was fantastic. The only issue I have with it is the name - it tastes much more like tomato than eggplant, and I even used less tomato and more eggplant than was called for. After reading the other reviews, my version used: 1.5 eggplants, 1 onion, 2 tomatoes, 1 red pepper, 1 head of garlic, and 1 jalapeno. I roasted all as directed - except the peppers, which I broiled and removed the skins - and then followed directions. I simmered w/ chicken stock and thyme for 45 min-1h, blended, added cream, and dabbed in some goat cheese. I also added some fresh basil since we have some in the garden. I would have called this "Rich and Creamy Roasted Vegetable Soup" instead (although tomato is a fruit). It seems like you could substitute many other veggies as well, and I may try adding or subbing zucchinis or mushrooms next time. I've never put eggplant in a soup before, and it was a great addition. Thanks for the great base recipe!

Reviewed On: Aug. 29, 2008