Rhea's Rundown
This soup is just hands down delicious, but be warned: it will be a bit more costly. However, if you’re willing to put in for the extra expense you’ll be rewarded with a memorable and mouth-watering seafood feast. I find that there few things better in life than big, juicy scallops, and I opted for the biggest I could find in place of the squid. Fresh jumbo shrimp and mussels make for better-sized chunks and add to the seafood treasure trove. I found everything at Whole Foods except the tamarind paste and mung bean sprouts. Instead of the tamarind paste, I used the only tamarind thing I could find there in the form of a sauce, adding a little extra to compensate for the lack of pure tamarind, and just did without the sprouts. I’m sure you can find the tamarind paste elsewhere, but the recipe only calls for a small amount so I didn't stress it. I also used grapeseed oil in place of the canola oil for a healthier substitute. The base of the soup includes chile paste, fresh lime juice, coconut milk, own sugar and fish sauce, and when combined with the fresh garnishes the flavors are out of this world. This soup has become a permanent addition to my list of favorite dishes I’ve ever made period. It really is that good, and I think you’ll agree.
Ingredients – Serves 4-6
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 3 cups coconut milk
- ½ cup Asian chile paste
- ¼ cup Asian fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons own sugar
- 1 tablespoon tamarind paste
- Salt
- 1 pound fresh Asian egg noodles
- ½ pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- ½ pound jumbo scallops (Or 1/2 pound cleaned squid bodies, cut into 1/2 inch rings)
- 1 pound mussels, scrubbed and debearded
- 2 green onions, white and tender green parts
- Mung beans sprouts, cilantro sprigs, Thai basil sprigs, and sliced serrano chile for garnish
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
Directions
1. In a large, heavy pot, warm the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chile paste and sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the coconut milk, fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, tamarind paste, and 1 cups water and ing to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes, then reduce the heat to low and simmer the soup for 10 minutes to blend the flavors.
2. Meanwhile, ing a large saucepan three-fourths full of water to a boil over high heat. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt. Add the noodles and cook until just tender, 2-3 minutes. Drain and divide them among bowls.
3. In the same pan, ing 4 cups water to a boil. Reduce heat to low, add the shrimp, and cook until they just turn pink, about 1 minute. Transfer to the bowl with the shrimp. Add the mussels to the simmering water, discarding any that do not close to the touch.
4. Cook just until the shells open, 2-3 minutes. Transfer the cooked mussels to the bowl of the seafood, discarding any unopened mussels. Discard the cooking liquid.
5. Just before serving, ready all of the garnishes. Thinly slice the green onions on the diagonal. Add all of the seafood to the simmering soup and cook just to heat through, about 3 minutes. Use tongs to top each bowl of noodles with a variety of seafood, and then ladle the hot soup over the seafood. Generously top each bowl with the garnishes and serve. Pass lime wedges at the table.
Adapted from: “Spicy Coconut Curry Seafood Soup.” Soup of the Day: 365 Recipes for Every Day of the Year. Weldon Owen, Inc. 2011. Print.
Rhea Torreon
