THAI CURRIED SHRIMP AND RICE SOUP

This soup is hearty and spicy served hot in the winter and refreshing light served chilled in the summer.  Fish stock and coconut milk provide the base, citrusy notes of lime, lemongrass, and coriander provide the zing, curry paste and a chili lend a little kick, shrimp and rice add the bite, and there’s a finishing hint of mint to tighten it up.

INGREDIENTS

 1 cup Ecogrown Missimati Bayou Bouquet Fragrant White or Brown Rice

1 ½ pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 tbsp coconut cooking oil, or preference

Black pepper, fresh ground, to taste

1 large yellow onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1½ tbsp ginger, minced

1 small geen Thai chili, seeded and minced

2 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped

½ cup cilantro, finely chopped

2 tbsp garlic, minced

5 scallions, chopped and divided

2 tbsp Thai red curry paste (not powder)

½ tsp turmeric, ground

1 tbsp coriander, fresh ground

2 12 ounce cans unsweetened coconut milk

4 cups fish stock

2 tsp fish sauce

2 stalks lemongrass, crushed

1 ½ tbsp brown sugar

Juice of 3 limes

Zest of 1 lime

Up to 2 tbsp Delta Belle or Missimati Frangrant Rice Flour

METHOD

     Cook rice according to instructions. Set aside. (Brown rice’s firmer texture fares well in soup)

In large stockpot, heat oil and add shrimp and black pepper to taste. Sauté until pink. Remove, and set aside.

Add garlic, red bell pepper, yellow onion, and chili to pot. Cook until onions translucent. To this add ginger, bottom 2/3 of scallions, mint, curry paste, cilantro, and coriander, stirring to blend well. When heated and aromatic, add coconut milk, lemongrass, fish sauce, and turmeric and stir well. Bring to gentle boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Add fish stock, lime juice, lime zest, and brown sugar; bring back to gentle boil and simmer for 10 minutes, or until soup slightly thickens and flavors meld.

Discard lemongrass and check for consistency. It needs to be just thick enough to lightly coat a spoon (palatability elevated if thinner consistency in warm weather, thicker in cooler weather). If too thin, make a paste with 1 tbsp flour and 2 tbsp water and stir in soup. After stirring for one minute, reevaluate consistency. Repeat with additional flour if necessary.

Add shrimp and rice to soup, blending well, and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve hot or chilled, garnished with remaining scallions. Enjoy!