Thai Pumpkin Curry Soup
By Tested and perfected in the Sur la Table kitchen
Thai Pumpkin Curry Soup
By Tested and perfected in the Sur la Table kitchen
Yield/Serves:
Yield: 6 servings
- 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
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.
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.