Recipes: Soup

Serves 6-8

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add galangal and lemongrass; cook and stir in the hot oil for 1 minute.

2. Pour in chicken broth

3. Add kaffir lime leaves and chicken 

4. Once chicken is cooked, add coconut milk and stir   

5. Stir in fish sauce and add chilli (optional). Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.

6. Add mushrooms; cook and stir until mushrooms are soft, about 5 minutes.

7. Taste and adjust according to preference. 

8. Garnish with coriander 

This recipe can be made ahead of time and frozen up to 3 months (without the coriander)

To freeze:

-Let soup cool completely.

- Add the soup to freezer safe containers or freezer size bags and squeeze out any excess air to prevent freezer burn before sealing..

- When ready to eat, let soup defrost in the refrigerator overnight and heat in the microwave (or warm on the stove from frozen). Remember to stir so the coconut cream breaks up.

1. Blitz lemongrass, garlic and shallots in a food processor until fine (or bash into a paste using a mortar and pestle).

2. Heat oil in a large pot. Add in lemongrass, garlic and shallot paste and fry off until fragrant. Add in red curry paste and continue to fry off (about 3-5mins). Be careful not to burn this paste.

3. Add pumpkin pieces and stir to coat.

4. Add water/stock and vegetable stock powder. Stir to mix through and bring to the boil.

5. Reduce heat and let simmer for 15-20minutes or until pumpkin is cooked through (very soft). The smaller/thinner your pumpkin pieces, the faster they will cook.

6. Remove the pot off the stove. Use a stick blender (or blender) to puree the contents of the pot until you arrive at a thick, smooth liquid soup.

7. Return the pot to the stove and add in coconut milk. Stir to mix through completely. Taste and season if necessary.

You can garnish your soup with a dollop of coconut milk, a few pieces of roasted pumpkin (optional) and fresh coriander. I served this soup with lots of crusty sourdough on the side.