Heat the vegetable broth in a medium soup pot. Add the sweet potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, and shallots. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a rolling simmer and cook for about 30 minutes.

Add the pears, Chinese 5 spice, coconut milk, tahini, mint, and turmeric. Stir ingredients together until tahini starts to beak apart.

Transfer to a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. This may need to be done in batches. Use caution when blending hot liquid in a blender. It is best not to fill the blender pitcher all the way, and start at a very low setting, increasing the speed gradually in order to avoid combustion of the hot liquid.

Return blended soup to the soup pot. Season for taste with sea salt and pepper. Serve with a garnish of chopped mint and diced pear.