Thai Pumpkin Curry Soup

By Tested and perfected in the Sur la Table kitchen
Images
Thai Pumpkin Curry Soup
Serves
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil
  • 3 tablespoons red curry paste
  • 2 tablespoons minced galangal or ginger
  • 1 large garlic clove, minced
  • 1 large shallot, minced
  • 1 red bell pepper, cored and finely diced
  • 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
  • 2 (13 1/2-ounce) cans coconut milk
  • 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
  • 2 tablespoons grated palm sugar or light brown sugar, plus more as needed
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce, plus more as needed
  • 3 ounces shitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced
  • 1 medium Asian sweet potato or yam, peeled and dice into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 2 yard-long beans or green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
  • 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh chopped fresh cilantro, plus more whole leaves for garnish
  • 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh Thai basil leaves, plus more for garnish
  • Lime wedges, for serving

  • Ginger steamed jasmine rice, for serving (recipe included)
  • 1 1/2 cups jasmine rice
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons minced ginger
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 cups water or low-sodium chicken broth
  • Sea salt

Procedure
To prepare the soup base: To a large saucepan set over medium-high heat, add oil and curry paste. Use a wooden spoon to break up the curry paste and toast until aromatic.

To prepare the ingredients: Add galangal, garlic, shallot, and red pepper and cook until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in pumpkin purée and cook until thick and reduced, about 5 minutes.

To make the soup: Add coconut milk, broth, sugar, fish sauce, mushrooms, and sweet potato; bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer; cook until flavors meld, about 10 minutes. Add yard-long beans and continue to simmer until tender, about 7 minutes. Add herbs; taste and adjust seasoning with sugar and fish sauce.

To make the rice: Rinse jasmine rice with cold water until water runs clear and is no longer cloudy. To a medium saucepan with tight fitting lid set over medium-high heat, add oil. When oil is shimmering, add ginger and garlic and sauté until aromatic, about 1 minute. Add rinsed rice and sauté until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Add water and salt and bring to boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover the pan with a lid and cook until rice is tender, and liquid has evaporated. About 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork, taste and adjust seasoning with salt.

To serve: Divide soup between warmed bowls and garnish with herbs. Serve with lime wedges and rice on the side.

Thai Pumpkin Curry Soup

By Tested and perfected in the Sur la Table kitchen
Serves
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil
  • 3 tablespoons red curry paste
  • 2 tablespoons minced galangal or ginger
  • 1 large garlic clove, minced
  • 1 large shallot, minced
  • 1 red bell pepper, cored and finely diced
  • 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
  • 2 (13 1/2-ounce) cans coconut milk
  • 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
  • 2 tablespoons grated palm sugar or light brown sugar, plus more as needed
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce, plus more as needed
  • 3 ounces shitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced
  • 1 medium Asian sweet potato or yam, peeled and dice into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 2 yard-long beans or green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
  • 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh chopped fresh cilantro, plus more whole leaves for garnish
  • 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh Thai basil leaves, plus more for garnish
  • Lime wedges, for serving

  • Ginger steamed jasmine rice, for serving (recipe included)
  • 1 1/2 cups jasmine rice
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons minced ginger
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 cups water or low-sodium chicken broth
  • Sea salt

Procedure
To prepare the soup base: To a large saucepan set over medium-high heat, add oil and curry paste. Use a wooden spoon to break up the curry paste and toast until aromatic.

To prepare the ingredients: Add galangal, garlic, shallot, and red pepper and cook until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in pumpkin purée and cook until thick and reduced, about 5 minutes.

To make the soup: Add coconut milk, broth, sugar, fish sauce, mushrooms, and sweet potato; bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer; cook until flavors meld, about 10 minutes. Add yard-long beans and continue to simmer until tender, about 7 minutes. Add herbs; taste and adjust seasoning with sugar and fish sauce.

To make the rice: Rinse jasmine rice with cold water until water runs clear and is no longer cloudy. To a medium saucepan with tight fitting lid set over medium-high heat, add oil. When oil is shimmering, add ginger and garlic and sauté until aromatic, about 1 minute. Add rinsed rice and sauté until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Add water and salt and bring to boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover the pan with a lid and cook until rice is tender, and liquid has evaporated. About 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork, taste and adjust seasoning with salt.

To serve: Divide soup between warmed bowls and garnish with herbs. Serve with lime wedges and rice on the side.