To many people Thai food is a bit of a mystery. There is no doubt that the delicate and complex flavors are not what we grew up with. I hope that this recipe of Red Curry Soup shows you that even you can develop a rich bowl of soup with all the flavors and textures that you would find in Chiang Mai.
In traditional Thai cooking you would start by making your own curry paste from scratch. In fact I have done this! It’s a magical time of pounding and chopping. You can compare it to say making mayonnaise. A bunch of simple recognizable ingredients suddenly become something transcendent.
But nobody got time for that! I like to use a premade red curry paste that I think is delicious. There is a constant tub of this in my fridge just waiting to be added to soups, sauces, dressings, etc. Trust me it’s worth it and it’s not expensive. For some it has a lot of heat, so start small and tread lightly if you are sensitive to spice.
All in all this took less than 30 minutes to make. Feel free to swap out the tofu for thin slice chicken, shrimp, etc. It all works. Enjoy!
In a large saute pan warm the oil over medium heat. Add the Red Curry Paste and saute for 2-3 minutes to wake up the flavors. Add your shallots and mushrooms and continue to saute until the vegetables are soft. Add in the stock and coconut milk and simmer for 10 minutes. Slice the tofu into squares or cubes and carefully add them to the broth. Simmer for 2 minutes. Add the spinach on top and gently stir until all the leaves are wilted. Serve with a sprinkle of chopped cilantro leaves and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
Ingredients
Instructions