I went on strike last week. Actually just had cooking burnout, which coupled with a busy week made it too easy to have take out or go out for dinner every night. So I am a week behind with a meatless post but I’m back at it today with a soup I’ve been wanting to make for a while now. Love Running with Tweezers‘ blog, especially her Saturday Soups. This Red Thai Curry Coconut Soup is one that I pinned several weeks back because not only did it sound wonderful and easy but her photo was so beautiful. Seriously, click the link and check it out. She is a great food stylist who is also a fabulous cook. I am posting the recipe below because I changed some things, which is funny because her original recipe was adapted from one by Donna Hay, who I also love. If you have never read a Donna Hay magazine or any of her cookbooks you should. She is an Australian chef who makes great easy recipes that utilizes simple ingredients to create flavorful meals. I’ve been collecting her magazines and books for years.

We loved this soup so I will definitely make it again. Next time I might swap out the lentils for Maifun rice noodles and add half a pound of prawns just to switch it up a little. If you want more heat than the curry paste offers you could add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes or top the soup with a couple of very thin slices of half a Thai pepper.

Red Thai Curry Soup
serves 4 as a starter or 2 as an entree soup

2 tsp. canola oil
2 tbsp. red curry paste
6 cups vegetable stock
1 – 14 oz. can of coconut milk
1 lime, sliced in half
1 cup lentils, picked through, rinsed and patted dry
4 shitake mushrooms, sliced thin
1 package inoki mushrooms
16 snow peas, ends trimmed
1 – 2.75 oz. can baby corn
Kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
sugar
½ cup cilantro leaves
1 tbsp. Thai basil leaves, roughly chopped

In a heavy bottom soup pot, heat the oil and curry paste over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the vegetable stock, coconut milk, lime halves and lentils. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, uncover and allow to cool for 15 minutes which will allow you to skim off and discard the oil that will gather at the top of the soup.  

Return the soup to medium heat and discard the limes. Add the mushrooms, peas and corn. Cook for 5 -6 minutes.  Salt, pepper and sugar to taste – I added sugar just to cut the bite of the lime but you may not need it, so definitely taste your soup first. Divide soup into bowls and top with cilantro and basil.