Soup is such a comfort food! And who doesn’t love the convenience of a one-dish meal simmering on the stove top? The smell of onions, garlic and ginger wafting throughout the house let’s everyone know that what’s for dinner tonight is going to be so very good!
If you are not a lover of shrimp, then shredded chicken is also very tasty in the soup. Pick up a rotisserie chicken at the market, use the breasts for one dinner and shred the leftovers and throw them in this soup. Everyone will think you are a genius and even those who “won’t eat leftovers” will love this! A delicious soup that tastes like it took you hours to make, yet is ready to eat in just 20 minutes!
Prep all of the ingredients before you start the soup. The steps of this soup go fairly quickly and it is easy to make if all the ingredients are ready to put in the pot before you start.
In a small pot, combine the rice, just under 1 cup of water and a generous pinch of salt. I find that rice turns out pretty perfect every time if you cut back on the water just a little. Bring to a boiling on high, then cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer 12 to 14 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Remove from the heat and uncover. Always fluff with a fork!
Cut the ends off of both lemongrass stalks, then peel away the fibrous outer layers until you reach the white, pliable cores. Mince one of the lemongrass stalks and cut the remaining stalk in half, then using the back of your knife, smash the lemongrass stalk on both sides. If you can’t find lemongrass, you can substitute with lemon zest.
Zest the lime; about 2 teaspoons of zest. Cut the lime into quarters. Slice the red pepper and green onions, mince the garlic, chop the cilantro and grate the ginger. Now you are ready to build the soup!
In a medium pot, heat 2 teaspoons of oil until hot. Add the garlic, ginger, minced lemongrass and white parts of the scallion. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until fragrant, stirring frequently.
Add the red bell pepper and season with a little salt and pepper. Cook 1 to 2 minutes, or until softened, stirring occasionally.
Add 1/2 of the red curry paste now. Spice levels are a funny thing. Some like it hot, some not so much….When you make it at home, you get to choose!
Add the coconut milk, palm sugar, lime zest, smashed lemongrass and 3/4 cup of water, then season with a little salt and pepper. Palm Sugar is not always easy to find in everyone’s part of town so if that’s you, substitute light brown sugar for the palm sugar.
Check for the desired spice level once all the ingredients are added. Depending on how spicy you’d like the soup to be, add more curry paste. Taste to see if you want even more curry paste. Make it your way!
Bring soup to a simmer. Add shrimp to the soup and cook for 2-4 minutes or just until the shrimp are cooked through and opaque, stirring occasionally. Shrimp cook really fast which is great for a week night dinner. They are very helpful friends too because they are kind enough to turn pink when they are done. Let them talk to you! The flip side is not to over cook them. We’re not making Thai Broth with Rubber Shrimp Boomerangs!
Turn off the heat and stir in 3/4 of the cilantro and the juice from 2 of the lime wedges. Remove the smashed lemongrass stalks now. Check seasonings again and add salt, if needed, to bring out all the flavors. You can add a small squirt of Sriracha sauce if you want to kick up the spice level too. For me, Sriracha is what takes this to my flavor and heat level but that’s up to you.
Pour the soup into bowls and mound the jasmine or brown rice in the center of each bowl. Garnish with the green parts of the scallions, the remaining cilantro and lime wedges. Time to savor Thai comfort in a bowl!
- 2 teaspoons oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small piece ginger, minced
- 1 scallion, thinly sliced, keep white and green parts separate
- 2 stalks lemongrass, 1 minced and 1 cut in half and smashed (or 1 1/2 tablespoon lemon zest)
- 1 small red bell pepper, cut into bite size strips
- 1 cup Jasmine Rice or Brown Rice
- 2 Tablespoons Red Curry Paste
- 1 13.5-Ounce Can Unsweetened Coconut Milk
- 2 Teaspoons Palm Sugar (or light brown sugar)
- 1 lime, zest and quartered
- 1 small bunch cilantro, rough chop
- 20 Shrimp
- Squirt of Sriracha, if you want to kick up the spice level
- Prep all of the ingredients before you start the soup. The steps of this soup go fairly quickly and it is easy to make if all the ingredients are ready to put in the pot.
- In a small pot, combine the rice, just under 1 cup of water and a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a boiling on high, then cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer 12 to 14 minutes until the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and uncover.
- Cut the ends off of both lemongrass stalks, then peel away the fibrous outer layers until you reach the white, pliable cores.
- Mince one of the lemongrass stalks and cut the remaining stalk in half, then using the back of your knife, smash the lemongrass stalk on both sides.
- Zest the lime; about 2 teaspoons of zest.Cut the lime into quarters.
- In a medium pot, heat 2 teaspoons of oil until hot.
- Add the garlic, ginger, minced lemongrass and white parts of the scallion.Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until fragrant, stirring frequently.
- Add the red bell pepper and season with a little salt and pepper. Cook 1 to 2 minutes, or until softened, stirring occasionally.
- Add 1/2 of the red curry paste now.
- Add the coconut milk, palm sugar, lime zest, smashed lemongrass and 3/4 cup of water, then season with a little salt and pepper. Check for the desired spice level once all the ingredients are added. Depending on how spicy you'd like the soup to be, add more curry paste. Taste to see if you want even more curry paste.
- Bring soup to a simmer.
- Add shrimp to the soup and cook for 2-4 minutes or just until the shrimp are cooked through and opaque, stirring occasionally.
- Turn off the heat and stir in 3/4 of the cilantro and the juice from 2 lime wedges. Remove the smashed lemongrass stalks now. Check seasonings again and add salt to bring out all the flavors. You can add a small squirt of Sriracha sauce if you want to kick up the spice level too.
- Pour the soup into bowls and mound the jasmine or brown rice in the center of each bowl.
- Garnish with the green parts of the scallions, the remaining cilantro and lime wedges.
