Our Veggie Kitchen

This soup is an explosion of flavor. It's got a mild heat from the curry paste and jalapenos, the tang of lemon grass and lime juice and the delicious aroma of kaffir lime leaves. It's coconut creamy with the contrasting textures of celery, mushrooms and potatoes. It is truly an experience to savor.

You may want to consider a couple ingredient alterations. First, increasing coconut milk and decreasing broth will make a creamier soup, but at the expense of (many) more calories. Fat is so tasty. Second, adjust green curry paste according to your taste. Two tablespoons make a mild soup. My preference is three. You may want even more. It can be stirred in at the end.

This is one of my favorite special occasion soups.



Thai Chowder
1 Tbs vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 red jalapeno peppers, seeded & chopped
1 lb mushrooms, thickly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs glanagal, grated
2-3 Tbs green curry paste
4 cups chicken flavored broth
11 oz coconut milk (2 small cans)
2 stalks lemon grass
4 kaffir lime leaves
2 lbs red potatoes, unpeeled & cubed
2 cups frozen corn
2 limes, juiced

Heat the oil in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions, jalapeno peppers and celery and saute until the onion has softened. Add the mushrooms and stir until the mushrooms begin to release their moisture. Add the galangal, curry paste, and garlic and stir until aromatic.

Pour in the broth and coconut milk. Bruise the lemon grass stalks by pressing firmly with the side of a knife or giving them a light whack with a rolling pin. Tie together with string and to the soup. Rip each kaffir lime leaf in several places. It's easiest to make tears up to the central vein, so the leaves are left in tact. Add to the soup. Add the diced potatoes and frozen corn. Bring to a boil and simmer until the potatoes are cooked through.

Add the limes, one half at a time, testing the flavor after each lime. Two limes will make it quite tangy, which contrasts the other flavors nicely. You may want a little less, though. Remove the lemon grass and lime leaves and serve.

6 Servings: 446 cal (17g fat, 68g carbs, 13g protein)