A Writer Has to Eat: Red Curry Coconut Milk Soup

I love the variations that can all fall into the category of "curry." In Thailand families have traditional curry recipes for the various types of curry. These recipes are often closely guarded secrets. I have been experimenting with concocting my own red curry paste. I like very flavorful food, but I typically go easy on the spiciness. This soup is made with one of my red curry paste incarnations.

Red Curry Coconut Milk Soup



Ingredients

4-6 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon lemon grass paste or 3 stalks finely chopped lemon grass
1 1/2 teaspoon minced ginger or ginger paste
1 tablespoon garlic
1 medium onion, minced
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 small eggplant, peeled and cubed
1 sweet pepper, diced
8 ounces shiitake mushrooms
1 pound green beans, stemmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
8 ounces baked tofu, cut into cubes
3 13.5 ounce cans lite coconut milk
salt to taste

1. Heat the oil in the bottom of a deep, large frying pan or dutch oven. Add the cayenne pepper, paprika, cumin, lemon grass, ginger, and garlic. Stir to a paste and heat for a few minutes.



2. Add the minced onion, diced sweet potato, and cubed eggplant to the pan. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly.



3. Add the diced sweet pepper, shiitake mushrooms, green beans, and baked tofu cubes. Cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

4. Add the coconut milk, stir, and simmer. Salt to taste.



5. Enjoy! Yum!