Thai Coconut Soup -- this tastes better than take out!
Published: Mon, 04/26/21
HAPPY MONDAY, SLOW COOKERERS!!!
I hope you enjoyed your weekend.
Since I now work in the front office of an elementary school, I've got to admit that I have a teensy bit of SummerItis happening ---
there are 38 days of school/work left for me -- and I AM REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO IT!!
:-)
anything fun and exciting planned for this summer? LMK -- I am going to live vicariously through you until then!
;-)
NOW. Back to business -- we have meals to make!
One of the major "side effects" of the pandemic in our household is that we are cooking "take out" food more than ever.
I honestly just don't miss restaurant food --
now don't get me wrong, I LOVE that somebody else is serving me and washing all of the dishes, but as for the actual food?
eh.
I am pretty skilled at making my own restaurant food at home.
And I bet you are, too!
Just in case you aren't aware -- I have compiled all of the Take Out Fake Out recipes on the site and in the cookbooks into a handy-dandy ebook.
for today, here you go -- this is one of our ABSOLUTE favorites.
This is such an amazing soup --
and it's honestly something I enjoy better when I take the time to make it at home than when I order it in restaurants.
(a bad side effect of learning how to make take out at home is that paying for it and then being disappointed by the restaurant's version is a VERY REAL THING!)
;-)
enjoy!!
Thai Coconut Soup
serves 6ish
4 cups broth (vegetable or chicken)
1 can coconut milk
4 limes (3 juiced, 1 for garnish)
1/2 teaspoon lime zest
1 red bell pepper, sliced in strips
4 ounces sliced shitake mushrooms, cut in quarters
1 large vine-ripened tomato, or 4 small-med, coarsely chopped
1/2 pound extra firm tofu, cubed
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoon fish sauce
1/2 teaspoon to 2 teaspoons red chili paste, to taste
1 teaspoon white sugar (not pictured, I used a sugar packet)
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and grated
The Directions.
Use a 6-quart slow cooker.
Although there are a lot of ingredients listed, this soup comes together quite quickly. Nothing really needs to be cooked---you're just heating through fully and letting the flavors simmer together.
Pour the broth into the crockpot.
Add the juice of three of the limes, and zest one of them until you get 1/2 teaspoon to add.
Stir in the sugar and fish sauce. Grate the ginger and add.
Stir in the coconut milk. You now have your soup base.
Add the red chili paste, 1/2 tsp at a time until you have reached desired heat.
I ended up using 1 1/2 tsp. You can always add more after cooking, though, so please go slow and don't overdo it.
Cube the tofu, slice the bell pepper, and mince the garlic. Add to pot.
Coarsely chop the shitake mushrooms and the vine-ripened tomatoes.
Stir in carefully, so you don't break up the tofu or the tomatoes.
Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours, or on high for 2-4.
This soup is finished when it is fully hot, and the flavors have combined nicely.
Ours ended up sitting on warm for an additional 3 hours, and was fine. When in doubt, use the shortest amount of cooking time, and let the pot stay on warm.
Garnish with fresh lime slices.
The Verdict.
I am proud of this soup. It had a great flavor, without being overpowering or too spicy.
I paired it with Korean Ribs (but I used stew meat this time) and coconut rice.
happy slow cooking! enjoy your day!
steph
PS: we've gotten a bunch of new email subscribers over the past few weeks, and I am SO HAPPY that you are here!
I want to extend the meal plan bundle pack coupon code with you all -- it is "NEWBIE" --
meal planning is pretty much the easiest and best way to feel "in control" of your dinnertime madness, and slow cooking sort
of FORCES you into it, because you've got to have the food in the house in order to plop it into the pot in the morning!
Here is the direct link to the Bundle Pack -- you get 14 weeks of recipes for the price of 10 weeks --
and with the code "NEWBIE" you get an additional 30% off ---
it's a no-brainer!
:-)