Thai Curry Soup Recipe

Some dishes have a way of sticking with you. For recipe developer Maren Epstein of Eating Works, this one certainly has. "When I was in college, curry soup was my favorite meal. I used to get curry soup from a restaurant called SONG in Park Slope, Brooklyn. It's still my favorite takeout," she says, adding, "I would drive back to Brooklyn just for this soup." For those of you not familiar with NYC traffic, that's a big statement.

Fortunately for you, there's no need to make the trip into Brooklyn for a delicious bowl of Thai curry soup, because you can make it yourself at home, thanks to Epstein's recipe. And if you make a big batch and store it properly, you can re-heat and enjoy it for weeks to come. "This soup will keep for six days since there is no animal protein in it. You can also freeze it for up to six months," says Epstein.

Making a big batch is a good idea if you're cooking for others, too, based on an anecdote the chef shares: "I gave this soup to a friend of mine who is young and doesn't have a lot of time to cook. She liked it so much that she got mad when I tried to give the rest of it to someone else. She got a majority of the soup."

Now, let's get cooking so you can see just how tasty this recipe is.

For this tasty, nourishing soup, you'll need 8 ounces of string beans, 10 ounces of chopped cauliflower florets, 3 scallions (sliced), 1 cup of Brussels sprouts (these are optional, so leave them out if you're not a fan), a 15-ounce can of fire roasted tomatoes, a 15-ounce can of coconut milk, 2 tablespoons of red Thai curry paste, 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame oil, 2 tablespoons of ginger juice, 1 lime (juiced), and 7 cups of water. In addition, you'll need chopped fresh cilantro and Thai basil for garnish.

"To make this soup a full meal, I would add some shrimp or chicken," Epstein says. "[I'd] add in shrimp to the vegetables and sauté for one minute right before you add the water. If you choose to add chicken, add it to the vegetables when you would add the cauliflower and Brussels sprouts."

Start this recipe off by warming 1 tablespoon of sesame seed oil in a large soup pot or a Dutch oven at medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the white and light green parts of the scallions and sauté until they soften, which will take about 5 minutes. Then, add the string beans, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts, and sauté for a few more minutes until the vegetables start to brown.

If you're going to add meat, take note of the timing Epstein shares, and add the chicken at this point. Alternately, you can cook meat or even tofu separately and add it to the soup right at the end of the boil when you add the coconut milk, ginger, and lime juice.

Once the cauliflower, beans, and Brussels sprouts start to brown in spots, add 2 tablespoons of red Thai curry paste and sauté for another 5 minutes, making sure you stir frequently. Next, add the can of tomatoes, making sure you pour in the liquid as well, and continue to cook until about ⅓ of the liquid from the tomatoes has evaporated.

Then, add 7 cups of water to the pot and increase the heat, bringing things to a boil. As soon as the pot starts boiling, lower the heat and let it simmer for 20 minutes.

When making this recipe, Epstein cautions, "The only mistake is to over-cook the noodles." Watch the timing, and plan to add the noodles in the last 5 minutes of cooking, "or else the noodles will absorb too much cooking liquid turning the soup into a stew." (You should also serve or chill the soup ASAP once it's ready for same reason.)

Stir the noodles in, and let the soup simmer for 5 more minutes. Then, turn off the heat and stir in the coconut milk, ginger juice, and lime juice. Ladle out bowls of this pure deliciousness, and garnish each with cilantro, Thai basil, and your other favorite soup toppers, like scallions and red pepper flakes.