20 minute red curry vegetable soup

A twist on traditional vegetable soups – perfect for autumn!

Ever since I made this fantastic shrimp curry a few weeks ago, I’ve been craving the gentle heat and fantastic flavour that red curry paste brings to any dish. After scooping up some impossibly fresh cauliflower at a Farmers’ Market the other day, I was eager to see how well it married with the curry flavour. Good news – it’s a match! You could easily play around with different vegetables in this soup, making it a great ‘clean out the fridge’ kind of dish. It takes just 20 minutes from start to finish but you could shave off a little time by prepping all the vegetables the night before. I have eaten this soup with and without rice in the bottom of the bowl and while it’s delicious both ways, the addition of hot, cooked rice definitely makes the meal a little more substantial. If you’re not into rice, cooked quinoa, farro, cracked wheat or barley would all be good substitutes.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) canola oil
• 1 small onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup/125 mL)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup (250 mL) thinly sliced sweet potato
• 1 1/4 cups cauliflower florets
• 2 teaspoons (10 mL) freshly grated ginger root
• 1 – 2 teaspoons (5 – 10 mL) Thai red curry paste (or more, to taste)
• 1 can (14.5 oz/400 mL) coconut milk*
• 1 cup (250 mL) halved snap peas (strings removed)
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped sweet red pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) coarse kosher salt
• chopped fresh coriander leaves (garnish)
• lime wedges (garnish)
• optional: 1 cup (250 mL) hot cooked rice, to serve

*Or use one 50 gram packet of powdered coconut milk dissolved in 1  1/2 cups (375 mL) hot water.

Method

• Put oil in a large, broad pan placed over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and sweet potato and sauté, stirring often, for 4 minutes, until sweet potato is beginning to soften.
• Add the cauliflower and ginger and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
• Add the curry paste and coconut milk and cook, stirring continuously, until curry paste is completely dissolved, for 2 – 3 minutes.
• Add the snap peas, red pepper and salt. Stir, reduce heat until mixture is just simmering and cover pot. Let cook 2 – 3 minutes until cauliflower is tender.
• Taste and adjust curry powder and/or salt to suit your tastes.
• Ladle soup into warm bowls (put rice in the bottom of each bowl first if you want to make the dish a bit more filling). Top with coriander leaves and large lime wedges.

Makes 2 generous servings.