Exactly a year ago I was discovering the magic world of Thailand. It was my first step into Asia with my partner and decided to make a “first impression” route along different countries in 16 days. Our trip started in Singapore, continued to Thailand, where we spent the majority of the days, and ended in Malaysia.
Being such food lovers you must have imagined that our route was planned around the best places to eat like food markets, hidden little restaurants and stores, and the closest to the marvellous temples. In fact while in Chiang Mai, we stayed in a beautiful lodge hosted by an eco-conscious Thai family, nestled between two quiet temples.
It was during our stay in Chiang Mai were we took a traditional Thai cooking class and learned about the delicate balance between the four key elements: Heat, Sweet, Salt and Sour. And it’s this that inspired this dish.
How to get a balanced Thai recipe. Four essential elements:
- Sweet Ingredients: Coconut sugar or Palm sugar
- Salty Ingredients: Tamari, Aminos, Soy or Fish sauce
- Heat Ingredients: Red Chillies, Red Curry Paste
- Sour: Lime, Lemongrass, Galangal
Vegetarian – Vegan Friendly and Paleo Friendly Options
Although the original recipe calls for fish sauce, I have added all the alternatives to create a vegan, vegetarian or paleo dishes depending on your diet or preference.
There are many ways to substitute ingredients without losing most of the original flavour and my suggestions are below on the list of ingredients.
What I strongly recommend is to use lemongrass, keffir lime leaves, ginger, galangal and chillies. As I explained before the balance of this dish is very important, but these ingredients really take you to Thailand… I just love them!
Red Thai Soup with noodles (Serves 4)
INGREDIENTS
- 1 Tbsp avocado oil (or any light oil)
- 1 big onion chopped
- 1 big grated garlic clove
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 5 kaffir lime leaves
- 1/2 tsp red chilli finely chopped
- 1 1/2 cup mushrooms cut in quarters
- 1 1/2 cup green snow beans
- 1 Tbsp grated root ginger
- 2 tsp galangal paste (or 1 Tbsp grated root galangal)
- 2 lemongrass stalks VERY finely chopped (so we don’t have to remove it and keep all the essence in every bite)
- 500 ml veggie stock
- 1 can coconut milk
- 1 Tbsp coconut sugar or palm sugar
- 1/2 lime juice
- 2 Tbsp fish sauce (or Tamari / Aminos or Soy sauce for vegan option)
- 3 Tbsp red Thai curry paste
- Rice noodles or Egg noodles (Kelp, Konjac noodles or even Shrimps for paleo option)
- Salt
Garnish with:
- 1 red chilli
- 1/3 cup crashed cashews
- 1/2 lime to garnish
- bunch of coriander leaves
How to make this Vegan and Paleo Friendly Red Thai Soup with Noodles
Time needed: 35 minutes.
- Recipe Instructions
Heat the avocado oil in a large sauce pan over a medium heat and add the onion for 2 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, red chillies, lemongrass, galangal and red Thai curry paste and stir until well combined. Let it cook for another 4 more minutes or until soft but not coloured.
-
Heat the avocado oil in a large sauce pan over a medium heat and add the onion for 2 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, red chillies, lemongrass, galangal and red Thai curry paste and stir until well combined. Let it cook for another 4 more minutes or until soft but not coloured.
-
Add the veggie stock and coconut milk to the pan and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
-
In another sauce pan cook your choice of noodles as per package instructions
-
Add the vegetables you’re using (mushrooms and green beans in this case) to the sauce pan with the soup and continue simmering until they are just-tender
-
IMPORTANT NOTE: When the veggies are tender, add the noodles, fish sauce (tamari, aminos or soy sauce) and lime juice, sugar and adjust salt if necessary. Stir to combine all the ingredients.
- Garnish
Garnish with more lime, chillies, coriander leaves and crushed cashews
I hope you like this recipe, it is the closest taste to the ones I tried in Thailand and therefore the best you can make out of the country (if you can find all the ingredients!)
Leave me a comment if you try it!
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