At the beginning of the year we decided to cut down our meat consumption and go veggie for the month, or maybe longer. I wasn’t sure how well we would do, and minus a slip up we’ve done pretty well so far. The one thing it’s making me do is cook different things than I usually would which is nice. I really enjoy cooking, and after asking on Instagram for some new ideas I also took to Pinterest.
So the first recipe that I tried, and wanted to share is a thai noodle soup, using a red curry paste. It seemed to go down well when I shared the picture on Instagram.
Ingredients
- 1 bunch bok choy
- 1 Handful Coriander, fresh
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 1 tbsp Ginger, fresh
- 1 Lime
- Red onion
- Sweet potato, small
- 1 can Coconut milk
- 2 tbsp Thai red curry paste
- 500ml Vegetable or chicken stock
- 1/2 tbsp Fish sauce
- pinch of brown sugar
- Rice vermicelli noodle
INSTRUCTIONS
- Prepare the vegetables for the soup and garnishes first, so they’re ready to go when needed. Chop the garlic and grate the ginger using a cheese grater. Peel and dice the sweet potato into small cubes. Wash the bok choy well, then chop, separating the stalks from the delicate green ends. Thinly slice the red onion and roughly chop the coriander. I also thinly grated a carrot and sliced a pepper as I had these in the fridge.
- Add the cooking oil to a large soup pot along with the minced garlic, grated ginger, and Thai red curry paste. Sauté the garlic, ginger, and curry paste over a medium heat for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the diced sweet potato and chopped bok choy stalks to the pot (save the leafy green ends for later) along with the stock. Bring the pot to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low and let simmer for 5-7 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are tender.
- While the soup is simmering, bring a small pot of water to a boil for the vermicelli. Once boiling, add the noodles and boil for 2-3 minutes, or just until tender. Drain the rice noodles in a colander and set aside.
- Once the sweet potatoes are tender, add the coconut milk, fish sauce, and brown sugar to the soup. Stir, taste, and adjust the fish sauce or brown sugar if needed. Finally, add the bok choy greens and let them wilt in the hot soup.
- To serve, divide the rice vermicelli among bowls. Ladle the soup and vegetables over the noodles, then top with red onion, coriander and a wedge or two of lime.
