Description
Spicy Thai coconut soup delivers a symphony of bold flavors from Southeast Asian cuisine. Rich coconut milk, fragrant lemongrass, and tender chicken create a harmonious blend you’ll savor with every comforting spoonful.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 3 (13.5 ounces / 405 milliliters) cans coconut milk
- 1 pound (454 grams) medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- ½ pound (227 grams) fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
Flavor Enhancers:
- 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
- 2 teaspoons red curry paste
- 1 stalk lemongrass, minced
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- Salt to taste
Cooking and Garnish:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Assemble all necessary ingredients, preparing ginger by grating, lemongrass by finely chopping, and shrimp by removing shells and deveining for optimal flavor integration.
- Place a large pot over medium heat and warm vegetable oil. Introduce grated ginger, red curry paste, and minced lemongrass, allowing aromatics to release their intense fragrance for approximately one minute.
- Pour chicken broth into the pot, followed by fish sauce and light brown sugar. Lower heat and permit the mixture to gently simmer, enabling flavors to harmonize and develop depth for quarter of an hour.
- Incorporate coconut milk and delicately sliced shiitake mushrooms into the simmering liquid. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms soften and become tender.
- Introduce raw shrimp into the soup, allowing them to cook until they transform from translucent to opaque white, indicating complete cooking – approximately five minutes.
- Brighten the soup’s profile by squeezing fresh lime juice and adjusting seasoning with salt. Sprinkle chopped cilantro throughout for a vibrant, herbaceous finish.
- Transfer the steaming soup into serving bowls, ensuring each portion contains a generous mix of shrimp, mushrooms, and aromatic broth. Optionally, garnish with additional cilantro for enhanced visual appeal and flavor complexity.
Notes
- Prep work is crucial for a smooth cooking experience, so grate ginger, mince lemongrass, and clean shrimp before starting.
- Toasting curry paste and aromatics in oil unlocks deep, complex flavors that form the soup’s rich foundation.
- Low and slow simmering allows ingredients to blend seamlessly, creating a harmonious and balanced broth.
- Fresh lime juice added at the end brightens the entire dish, cutting through the creamy coconut milk.
- Shiitake mushrooms provide an earthy, umami depth that complements the delicate shrimp perfectly.
- Quick cooking of shrimp prevents toughness, ensuring tender, succulent seafood in every spoonful.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Thai
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 430
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 1300 mg
- Fat: 31 g
- Saturated Fat: 24 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 160 mg