Coconut Soup with Red Thai Curry and Mango sticky rice
Coconut Soup
2 c water or veg stock
2 c coconut milk
1 stalk lemongrass, cut into 1-2 ” pieces, bruised, use whole stalk
1 shallot, bruised
1 thai chili, bruised
6 slices galangal, slice thin and bruise
3 kaffir lime leaves
2 c fried tofu
5 oz oyster mushroom or artichoke hearts or hearts of palm or banana blossom
1-2 t salt
2 t palm sugar
Sauce:
3 T Thai soy sauce
4 T lime juice
1-2 t minced thai chilis
1 T cilantro
In a pot, combine stock with coconut milk. Bring to boil. Bruise lemongrass, shallots and 1-2 Thai chilis using a pestle or the back of a knife. Add along with galangal and lime leaves to boiling stock. Simmer for a few minutes, then add tofu, and mushroom or option substitutions. Turn heat down and simmer until heated through. Season with salt and sugar to taste, it should be well seasoned. In a serving bowl mix the sauce ingredients. Ladle the soup into the serving bowl, stir and check seasoning. It should be rich, salty, sour and hot.
Red Curry
1 can red curry paste, Mae Sri Brand
2 cans coconut milk
1/2 c water or veg stock
2 c fried tofu
4 c any firm vegetable, butternut squash, sweet potato, white potato
3 -4 T Thai soy sauce
Pinch of sugar
1 c Thai basil
4 kaffir lime leaves
Heat 1 c coconut cream (the creamy part which rises to the top of the can) over medium heat. Stir in curry paste and turn heat down. Simmer until fragrant and coconut cream starts to release some oil. Add remaining coconut milk and water and bring back to boil. Add tofu and firm vegetable. Simmer until veg is soft on med-low heat. Add Thai soy sauce 1 T at a time until it’s at your preferred taste. Add pinch of sugar and taste Add Thai basil and kaffir lime leaves and turn heat of after 10 seconds. Serve over rice.
Sticky Rice with Mango
2 c sweet or gluttonous rice
2 c coconut cream
1 1/4 c sugar
large pinch salt
1/4 t vanilla
Soak rice overnight or for 4 hours. Drain, rinse and steam over medium heat in steamer for 15-20 min.
In a pan, heat coconut milk, add sugar and salt. Stir until dissolved. Let col completely.
When rice is cooked and sauce is cooled off, pour part of prepared coconut cream over rice slowly and stir to mix thoroughly. Make sure sure rice is not too wet, add more if needed. Cover and set aside for 15 minutes in warm place.