Why This Recipe Works :
The wonderful thing about Thai coconut soup is its velvety richness dancing with aromatic heat, and fresh-tasting add-ins. As in many Southeast Asian dishes, a lively interplay of ingredients and flavors is essential: Fragrant lemongrass, pungent fish sauce, tart citrus juice, and floral ginger blend into a tantalizing, mouthwatering dish. Thai curry paste, which packs a spicy (and convenient) punch and fruity flavors, was a good substitute for a more time-consuming homemade blend. While chicken is the traditional protein for this soup, we chose shrimp, cutting it into bite-size pieces, and added crunch, color, and texture with bok choy. We first sautéed just the bok choy stems along with aromatics to infuse the soup with their flavor, and added the leaves and shrimp at the end so they maintained their delicate texture. After a final garnish of cilantro leaves and lime juice we were ready to devour this delectable, fragrant soup.
Jump to RecipeDirections :
- Heat coconut oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add bok choy stalks and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in ginger, curry paste, and lemon-grass and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in broth, coconut milk, and fish sauce, scraping up any browned bits, and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and cook until flavors meld, about 15 minutes.
- Stir in shrimp, return to simmer, and cook until opaque throughout, about 3 minutes. Off heat, stir in bok choy leaves and let sit until wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in lime juice and sesame oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Top individual portions evenly with cilantro before serving.
Coconut Soup With Shrimp & Bok Choy
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 pound bok choy stalks sliced ¼ inch thick, leaves cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste
- 1 lemongrass stalk trimmed to bottom 6 inches and minced
- 2½ cups chicken broth
- 1 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1½ pounds extra-large shrimp 21 to 25 per pound, peeled, deveined, tails removed, and cut into ½-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
Instructions
- Heat coconut oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add bok choy stalks and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in ginger, curry paste, and lemon-grass and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in broth, coconut milk, and fish sauce, scraping up any browned bits, and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and cook until flavors meld, about 15 minutes.
- Stir in shrimp, return to simmer, and cook until opaque throughout, about 3 minutes. Off heat, stir in bok choy leaves and let sit until wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in lime juice and sesame oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Top individual portions evenly with cilantro before serving.