Thai Red Curry Noodle Soup with Vegetables

Folks closest to me might not know this about me. There are times I really look forward to a vegetarian or a vegan dish. It really does hit the spot quite well. And, paring that with a made-from-scratch focus, to be very honest, this doesnt even need a recipe at all. In fact, I can make this with my eyes blindfolded because this is wicked simple to make! This is going to be a good way to see how soups really never need a recipe at all. In fact, 90% of the people I know will tell you the same thing: soups dont need a recipe. Whether you are employed in a professional kitchen or in the comforts of your home, that is how soup is made. And, everyone CAN do this! We are putting YOU in charge of making the decisions of what vegetables you want, the meat-replacers you want, and most importantly: how much red curry paste to put in. DISCLAIMER: You are responsible for the amount of red curry paste that gets added. I cannot advise of how much because of the way red curry paste can behave. For those that can handle a little heat, this is not for the faint of heart. Consider gradually adding small pea-sized morsels of the red curry paste into your individual bowl and mix. For those who are flat-out capsaicin sensitive, red curry paste is not for you. Any curry paste made with fresh or dried chili ingredients will grow and develop as it sits in your bowl. Please exercise caution and be careful!

This is a bulk recipe that was written in a way that allows you to halve it on your own. This makes a great meal for freezing individual servings. Just leave the noodles and tofu out before freezing in individual containers. It is easier to add those when you reheat for later consumption. THAI SOUP BASE INGREDIENTS: 2.25 quarts vegetable stock 1 13.5oz can of coconut milk Red curry paste (separate recipe available or use your favorite brand) to your discretion White or black pepper (fine powder) to taste 4-6 svgs glass noodles, cooked, rinsed and set aside

1/4 cup ginger and galangal* puree

OPTIONAL: 1/4 cup Tamari (gluten free) or Soy sauce (both will replace fish sauce) OPTIONAL: 1/4 cup Cane sugar or rice vinegar (for those that like a subtle sweet curry soup)

BASE INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2lb-2lb (679g-906g) Vegetables, thin sliced, your choice

Vegetables that work excellent in this would be:

SELECTION HOW TO PREP Cabbage Sliced thin strips Red Bell Peppers Sliced thin strips, pith removed Red or White Onions Sliced thin strips Shiitake Mushrooms Sliced thin, remove stem Zucchini Ends removed, halved, sliced thin on the bias Summer Squash Ends removed, halved, sliced thin on the bias Carrots Peeled, halved, sliced thin on the bias or julienned

Cauliflower Small floret cuts

Use whatever meat-replacement you like! Just keep in mind that you want something that is not going to dissolve into mush. I often recommend to add this at the very end of the cook because it does not take long to come up to temperature. These three items work extremely well.

SELECTION HOW TO PREP Extra Firm Tofu Night before, pressed/drained, cubed Chickpeas Canned, rinsed or soak dried chickpeas overnight

Shiitake Mushrooms Sliced thin, remove stem

METHOD: This is a two-cook method that you can either do from wok to pot or you can do a one-cook method into a medium or large one-pot style approach.

1. Pre-cook your glass noodles in a small pot with hot water and lemongrass. These noodles will cook extremely fast. Once done, drain and immediately rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside. Discard the lemongrass.

2. On medium heat in a wok or a medium-sized pot, add a little oil to the pan and toss in your vegetables. You will stir-fry the vegetables for approximately five minutes. Make sure you are consistently moving the vegetables around to avoid burning so this is a dish you cannot walk away from the stove.

3. Add your ginger/galangal puree next and incorporate well. Cook for another minute.

4. Transfer the stir-fry vegetables into a pot on medium heat (or continue to use the same pot for the one-cook option) and add your vegetable stock, coconut milk and red curry paste (see warning below). Bring this to a gentle boil and stir occasionally. Make sure nothing is falling to the bottom of the pot as we dont want to burn this. Taste test this and determine if you would like either added soy/tamari sauce for a salt-hit or if you like a little added cane sugar for a subtle sweet-hit. Entirely up to you. Cook for about five minutes.

5. Reduce heat to a simmer.

6. At this point, remove the lemongrass from the pot. Add more mushrooms, or start adding your cubed tofu and/or chickpeas. Simmer and stir for five more minutes. Turn the heat off and remove from burner.

7. Taste test to determine if you would like to add any soy/tamari sauce or cane sugar/rice vinegar.

8. Ladle your red curry soup into bowls and top with a portion of the glass noodles.

9. Garnish options can be added (fresh chopped chili, scallions, lime, cilantro, etc)

*If you cannot find galangal, that is ok. You can use regular ginger instead.

WARNING ABOUT RED CURRY PASTE: Do not use your fingers/bare hands to handle the paste! Yes, I actually have to put this in here. All work surfaces, knives and utensils used in handling anything with hot peppers must be cleaned carefully. Always work with gloves to avoid getting hurt. Use a separate dish rag for washing your kitchen tools and surfaces that have come into contact with capsaicin. Remove the used dish rag to avoid cross-contamination.