Thai Red Curry Soup with Seared Scallops
2 CommentsThis soup, based on a recipe in the Rebar Modern Food Cookbook called the Thai Dragon Bowl, is great because it’s simple and very versatile. I’ve made it so many times with different variations so I’d recommend experimenting with the ingredients to suit your fancy or what you have to hand.
I increased the quantity of curry paste in the stock to make it more flavourful and spicy too. I also added the shallots as well as the scallops but you could easily change these for prawns or a seared steak, sliced after frying. This is the first time I’ve made this soup with Thai Basil, if you can’t source Thai basil then Italian basil will be fine but the Thai basil does add a unique peppery, liquorice flavour.
I’d also like to introduce my new little side kick, Luna who enjoyed a piece of pak choi as I cooked.
I’m entering this recipe in Elizabeth’s Shop Local blog event as the pak choi is UK grown and was in my veg box last week. I am also entering it into Simple and In Season, hosted by Ren Behan.
Written by Corin
Serves: 4
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 30-35 minutes
Equipment
- Copper Tri-ply 24cm Stockpot
- Copper Tri-Ply 28cm Frying Pan
- Knife
- Chopping board
- Wooden spoon
- Sieve
- Tongs
- Medium sized bowl
Ingredients
- 2 litres vegetable or chicken stock
- 3 lemongrass stalks, top 2 inches trimmed off and the remainder finely sliced
- 3 tablespoons galangal or ginger, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil (can replace with groundnut or vegetable oil)
- 4 shallots, finely sliced
- 1-2 tablespoons red curry paste to taste
- 2 tablespoons palm sugar
- 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 60ml fish sauce
- 250ml coconut milk (optional or use less for a healthier option or light coconut milk)
- juice of one lime
- 150g noodles (thick rice or udon noodles)
- 200g firm tofu, cut into 1-2cm cubes
- 12 scallops
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 Kaffir lime leaves, stems removed and finely sliced
- 200g of pak choi, chopped
- 1 bunch spring onions, finely chopped into diagonal rounds
- 200g of cherry or plum tomatoes, cut into quarters
- 60g fresh coriander, stems removed and chopped
- 120g Thai basil leaves, roughly torn
- 2-4 Thai red or green chillis, finely chopped
Cooking Method
- Heat the stock in the stockpot and bring to a gentle simmer before adding the lemongrass, galangal and garlic. Leave to simmer for 15 minutes then strain the stock through a sieve into a medium bowl.
- Return the stockpot to the hob over a medium heat and add the coconut oil. Once melted add the shallots and gently fry until translucent, but not brown. At this point, return the stock to the pan and bring to a gentle simmer again.
- Stir in the curry paste, palm sugar, soy sauce and fish sauce and simmer for a further 5 minutes. Add the coconut milk and more soy sauce or fish sauce if desired.
- Now add the noodles, tofu, kaffir lime leaves and cook for about 5 minutes or until the noodles are ready.
- After about halfway through the cooking time of the noodles, add the pak choi.
- Meanwhile, in the frying pan heat 2 tablespoons of butter until it starts to bubble then add the scallops flat side down, cook for around 2 minutes per side until slightly browned being careful not to overcook them.
- Once the noodles are tender add the spring onions, tomatoes, lime juice, coriander, and Thai basil. Stir well and serve immediately with 3 scallops per bowl and sliced chilli rounds.